Desired or Disenchanted
by emeraldhead-crimsonheart
Summary: Disillusioned by the choices of her cousin Albus along with his partner in crime, Scorpius Malfoy; how can Head Girl, Rose Weasley keep the peace and respect of the student body while retaining a shred of dignity in the process? Perhaps she shouldn't have been sleeping with someone she didn't really care about to begin with.
1. Chapter 1

**A new idea took my fancy. Disclaimer: JKR owns all. I'm just flouncing around amongst it.  
Edited, December 2017.**

* * *

She ran a hand over her plait in an attempt to contain the unruly strands that had begun to come loose during the day. It was a nervous tick almost, playing with her hair. She blinked at her reflection in the bronze framed mirror, noting it's superior sheen compared to those in the girl's bathrooms on the other floors of the castle. If she hadn't spent hours of time scrutinising her appearance over the past few teenage years, picking out features that were inherited and those that weren't ideal, she wouldn't have recognised herself. The only trace of insecurity was in her hazel eyes, which were lined with kohl for the occasion. She pulled out a lipstick from her robes and ran it across her bottom lip, then the top. Pursing them together in a small pout.

She cringed, her reflection mimicking the expression.

 _No_. She thought to herself, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand roughly. _The lipstick is far too much._

It occurred to her then that perhaps she was setting herself up for a fall here. What if Jasmine had been wrong? That would truly be the most mortifying thing of all. Rejection. But she'd come this far. She'd even shortened her skirt two inches; enough to show more leg than usual while keeping close enough to her own standards that it was acceptable. She glanced back at herself in the mirror, pulling her mouth to one side, uncertain.

If the past week had been anything to go by, he'd probably just ask her to leave politely and go about his business for the evening.

 _That business._ She thought bitterly. She was definitely skating the edges of moral ambiguity if she went along with this. After the fuss she had kicked up at him last week, she was possibly now the Queen of Hypocrisy. She tried to smile at her reflection, first one side of her mouth, then the other until a nervous, toothy grin looked back at her.

"You can do this, Weasley," she whispered to herself encouragingly. The flash of torch light lit the crest emblazoned on her robes. Before she could even think twice, she was unpinning it and placing it in the small bowl by the sink. That badge certainly didn't deserve to bear witness to what she was about to do. If it did, she'd have a hard time convincing herself that she shouldn't just rip it off her chest for good and return it to the Headmistress forthwith.

Instead she gave herself a final once over, straightening her neck tie before removing it and shoving it into the pocket of her robes. She turned on her heal, stalked through the common room she shared with the Head Boy who glanced up from his magazine.

"Where are you going, Rose? It's almost curfew!"

"Out." She replied not looking back as the portrait swung shut behind her, the Head Boy's reply swamped by the blood rushing in her ears as she set off down to the dungeons.

* * *

 _ **Seven Days Earlier…**_

"So I told Patrick that we needn't have bothered training so hard because the Gryffindor team just isn't the same without James," spoke the boy, an air of arrogance about him. Rose hadn't really been paying much attention to his usual ramblings about Quidditch, instead her attention focused on inspecting an unusual blue stain on her robe sleeve. A hand waved in front of her face, regaining her attention.

"Earth to Rose," said the boy, who wore a rather serious expression as he halted in the middle of the corridor. She reluctantly followed suit. She hadn't been in the mood for Quidditch talk tonight. At the sight of a raised eyebrow she immediately regretted not listening for she was now no doubt in for a telling off. She decided to improvise.

"I do agree that the absence of James has left the Gryffindor team quite stunted in skill, but they certainly won't let such a defeat happen again," she stated rationally, hoping this would be a sufficient contribution to the conversation. Gratefully, his face relaxed and he strode on down the corridor as if they hadn't stopped at all.

"I'd bet a galleon that they'll not be able to recover from it. Your brother certainly didn't look happy."

Rose made a noise of agreement, unable to stop herself rolling her eyes; thankfully the boy ahead of her didn't notice. This went on for the duration of their patrol. The Head Boy, Elliot Rhodes talking mostly nonsense about the aptitude of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. Rose didn't have the strength to argue.

In her defence, it had been a rather long day. She would have preferred to have discussed with him their Herbology assignment; _The benefits of climate for the growth of mandrakes_. Instead she tugged on a lock of hair that was an inch shorter than the rest. _Someone_ had thought it amusing to levitate a pair of secateurs dangerously close to her head during their Herbology class at the end of the day. Her suspicions would suggest it was probably Albus, or his usual accomplice Malfoy.

When they made it to the ground floor, Elliot angled himself towards the Hufflepuff dorms, a look of apprehension on his face.

"If you wish to speak to Patrick tonight, go ahead."

"Rose…" she sensed in his tone he was about to attempt chivalry and insist they must finish patrols together. She removed her wand from her sleeve instead, ignoring his subtle implication that she might not be able to handle a simple patrol by herself.

"Are you sure, Rosie?" Rose fought not to openly cringe as he put his arm around her shoulders.

"I'll be fine Elliot, honestly," she replied, unable to keep the bite out of her voice.

"Should I wait up for you?" he asked, expectantly. The corridor was dimly lit and the flush that coaxed her cheeks went unnoticed. Or at least she hoped it did. With wide eyes and lips drawn in a thin line she said, "perhaps not tonight Elliot."

He did nothing to hide his crestfallen expression. _Perhaps I should be flattered._

"Ok. I'll see you in the morning then," he stated. As he shuffled away she let out a sigh, relief relaxing her muscles.

Maybe she was being unfair on the boy. At one point in time he'd merely been a handsome Hufflepuff who she barely knew. Barely interacted with at all during her day to day castle life. Thankfully he wasn't pushy. He seemed as content as she was about their casual (if rather infrequent) sexual tousles. Mostly after she'd had a terrible day. Deep down she believed he was too naïve to think any worse of her. She certainly didn't feel any strong want over the boy accept after a particularly trying day and she needed an effective release.

She'd never lead him on, she reasoned. No love notes, no bringing him dessert late at night up to the common room if he'd been studying and forgotten about dinner. Nothing that suggested they were more than indulging their teenage hormones in each other. She'd become rather indifferent towards the situation rather rapidly; she just hadn't had the courage to end it. He probably deserved better.

All this being said, it seemed like a fairly amicable agreement to her. Although the initiation of said _arrangement_ had not been her finest hour. He'd just been there as a physical outlet when she'd needed one.

As so many adolescent wizard trysts go, it had been initiated by the consumption of copious amounts of fire whiskey. This was a situation that had been poorly aided by her friend Jasmine. A girl who could out drink and outwit most of the blokes at parties, and at the end of it all still possess the essential function required to hold back her friend's hair.

Ravenclaw had never been beaten so badly. Not that she could remember. To top it off, having a Slytherin for a cousin who enjoys goading family members into placing ridiculous bets, that more often than not do more to ones pride than anything else was enough to throw Rose into Elliot's arms. In Rose's opinion.

She hadn't counted on him becoming Head Boy. It had made the first few months rather awkward. Him with expectant eyes and her attempts to be distant to put him off falling flat. She had conceded at the beginning of November. Almost like a comforting blanket that she went back to.

Perhaps she should feel something for him by now. After all they'd been shacked up together for a few months now. However irregular and unpredictable their encounters under each other's sheets were.

Her friend Jasmine had admitted that Rose's scorn might be enough to put men off normally, and that perhaps she should be grateful for the attention she received from Elliot, no matter how unenthused she felt. Yet there was no passion. No sparks. He never made her toes curl.

Rose hadn't really been paying attention to where she was going. Whenever left alone to her own thoughts, she often let her feet guide her across the stone floor. She wasn't sure she'd even seen this deep under the castle before. A more skittish type might have felt a little uneasy as the faint sound of whistling drifted down the corridor. Curiosity getting the better of her, she strained her ears to get a feel for the direction it was coming from – having come to a crossroads of passages – taking her immediate right she continued further into the underbelly of the castle.

She was definitely getting closer. If the sound hadn't been so tuneful, she would have given up the investigation for fear of being dive bombed by Peeves.

The turn of another sharp corner caused her to halt immediately. Struck dumb almost by the sight before her. A torch at the end of the corridor, missing it's familiar ghoulish-green glow was flickering ruby. The whistling now started to sound like an actual song. Something she recognised from Victoire's record collection.

Hemming, the current potion masters quarters was hundreds of metres of twisting tunnels away. Her curiosity peaked by the question of what exactly someone was doing down here, this deep in the castle. Creeping towards the door beneath the torch, the sounds of a crooning male voice alongside the quiet crackling melody from a record player grabbed Rose's full attention. It wasn't a terrible pitch. She just had a suspicion of whose singing it might be, the song now more revealing.

With the wood ajar slightly, a shiny pair of brogues could be seen propped up on the desk. The occupier of the room, quite clearly at ease. _Perhaps whistling wasn't the best idea, if you didn't want to be found._

There was only one individual who's shoes were that shiny in the whole castle. A feature of his appearance that had always irked Rose for an indistinguishable reason. He always looked so well put together. No matter what mischief he'd been up to with her cousin. No matter how many trophies he'd had to kneel down to polish. Those shoes always remained as spotless as hers did, and she'd never once had to kneel down to polish trophies for detention.

That was enough reason to make her feel uneasy about being in the same room as Scorpius Malfoy. Or at least that's what she told herself.

"I can hear you breathing," his voice floated out into the corridor. His shoes remained propped up on the desk in her line of sight. "If you actually want to speak to me Liz, you actually have to come in the room. My services don't stretch further than these four walls." _Services?!_ Rose bit down on her tongue to stop herself from tutting.

 _As Head Girl you're supposed to be composed._ She hastily reminded herself. His voice had caused her stomach to tighten uncomfortably. Rose considered for a moment the element of power she had to offer out detentions for such weird behaviour. Hiding out in the depths of the castle past curfew was certainly one of them. No matter how tuneful your singing was.

She reached out and pushed the door open. The sight of the room as a whole took her by surprise. What she could only assume was once a slightly larger than normal broom cupboard had been converted into a rather pitiful looking office.

With barely enough room to fit down either side of the desk, it sat half-leaning in the centre of the room with quills and parchment strewn about its surface (some sat underneath Malfoy's footwear). The only other piece of furniture crammed into the room was a cabinet against the back wall with a glass front and an open bottom. The record spinning lazily on it's needle. Rose observed two bottles of fire whiskey and half a dozen glasses within the cabinet. It made her stomach clench even more.

As she took a step into the room, Malfoy chuckled, turning a page of what looked surprisingly like the Quibbler.

"Liz are you feeling alright? Not like you to be this…mute." He turned another page and shifted the placement of his legs, drawing her focus to them. It was this movement that horrified her. Beneath those jet black shoes sat the map. Not just any map. _The_ map.

"Why the hell did Albus give that to you?" Rose demanded, pointing with her wand to where the map sat, looking much more worn than the last time she'd seen it.

Malfoy almost dropped his magazine in shock. His glasses falling off the top of his head onto the end of his nose. Swinging his legs off the desk he began hastily shuffling the map together.

"Red, you sure know how to sneak up on a bloke," he continued to search the desk hurriedly. Rose realised a little too late what he was up to as he tapped the map with his wand and the ink seemed to be absorbed back into the parchment. Annoyed, she summoned his wand instead and he scrambled to grab it before it soared into her outstretched hand. She somehow resisted the urge to look smug.

He shook his head for a moment, brushing invisible lint from his jumper before reseating himself behind the desk.

"C'mon, Red. Bit unfair to interrogate a bloke who can't defend himself," he pouted; a fail safe way to do nothing to improve her mood.

"That, is precisely what I meant to do. You're not escaping-,"

"Kinky."

"Eugh." Rose blanched, "you're not leaving here until you explain what you're doing down here after hours!"

He blinked, his lips quirked and his face remained like that. Eyes trained on her. And he just stared. She felt a slow heat creep up her collar, aware that his staring was making her blush. _That's just what he likes to do; make me feel uncomfortable._ Malfoy appeared to notice her unease, it only caused his smirk to grow. She stared back, trying to communicate with merely brainwaves that he should stop being so impolite and answer her questions. No boy should look at her like that. Unabashed with a hint of amused scrutiny.

It was times like this that Rose was reminded of why she avoided Scorpius Malfoy.

Realistically she could have filled a roll of parchment (or several) of reasons, but there were three key things. Three terrible things that made her want to avoid him as much as possible.

Firstly, Scorpius Malfoy was handsome. It wasn't this fact in itself that annoyed her per say, it was the fall out that came with it. Girls following him around the bookshelves in the library giggling and screeching if he so much as gestured their way. Luckily for him, he hadn't inherited his father's hair, instead dulled to musty blonde. Teddy had always described it as "surfer-dude" hair, whatever that was supposed to mean. Although from browsing Lily's trashy fiction from time to time she could probably make an educated guess. His face however, in juxtaposition to his fly-away hair was every bit of chiselled Malfoy ancestry you could imagine. High cheekbones, sharp chin, expressive brow and porcelain complexion. The only other un-Malfoy like thing about Scorpius' appearance was probably his horn-rimmed spectacles. The teenage girls certainly had a lot to say about those. Rose tried very hard not to get involved in conversations about such nonsense.

Scorpius Malfoy was objectively handsome. Due to this realisation, she'd been forced to avoid him best she could for fear that the babbling that followed him would somehow lower her IQ and she wouldn't have been able to finish any assignment ever again.

The second terrible thing, was that Scorpius Malfoy had befriended her cousin. Not just any cousin. Her favourite and closest cousin. From a logical point of view, Rose could understand their friendship. Albus, a Potter, the first of his lineage to be sorted into the House of Slytherin feeling tremendously alone. And Malfoy, the boy who had he been born under a different name would surely have lived a different life. In the dark shadow cast by the history and reputation of his family, it explained quite a lot about how he had done a lot in his power to show he was nothing like the rest of them.

So Albus and Scorpius, two boys out to prove themselves, found in each other a penchant for mischief. Had Scorpius not spent the majority of their younger years teasing her during classes, Rose might also have seen reason not to avoid him; perhaps even befriend him.

Thirdly, the one thing that really upset Rose about Scorpius Malfoy was his natural ability. At everything. From Quidditch to cake baking (she'd witnessed this with her own eyes). The crux of her annoyance coming from his lay about attitude. The fact of the matter being, that if Scorpius tried, even a little, he'd excel past most of his classmates. Instead he'd rather be seen as a truant or a scoundrel. That, to Rose was the worst thing about him. His wasted potential.

Rose had begun tapping her foot on the flagging. Her patience wearing thin as he continued to stare, barely blinking up at her from his seat. It was a little unnerving to say the least, and he didn't even have his wand.

"Red, perhaps you could tell me how your day was?" The smile he threw her so effortlessly seemed the most genuine thing he'd done all night. It made something in her belly stir. O _h don't fall for that_. Rose started, taken aback by his question and her own body's reaction to it.

"What?"

"How was your day?" He repeated, a feigned innocence poorly hidden the second time round.

Frustrated, she crossed her arms over her chest, eyebrows knotting together, "That's not relevant, Malfoy. Just answer my question. What are you doing here with Al's map? In this bizarre make shift office."

He gestured casually with one arm, "this is merely my workspace."

"I don't see any homework," she snapped, her temper rising no matter how hard she tried to keep her voice steady. He was positively infuriating.

"Fine. It's just my _business workspace_ ," he shrugged, his eyes returning to rove across her face, just as unabashed as before. Anyone else might have understood the severity of how the Head Girl was looking at him. Not Scorpius Malfoy. Unfortunately, Malfoy was about the only person who just would not do as Rose asked, however politely. If she hadn't picked up on it already, he quite enjoyed playing the part of her antagonist.

Withholding information was a dangerous game to play with Rose Weasley. Malfoy was treading a very thin line. She felt herself beginning to shake with repressed anger, which was only fuelled with every facetious remark. When the sound of her teeth grinding together reached his ears, he seemed to actually take heed of just how close he was to being cursed into oblivion.

"In all honesty Red," he said resignedly, "you wouldn't like it if I told you. Is there any chance in hell that you could pretend you didn't find me. I don't want to upset you."

"Why the f- hell would it _upset_ me?" she growled through clenched teeth.

"We both know you're not an idiot," her voice like acid on her tongue, "so don't act like one. I'm not leaving here without an explanation. The more you hold out on me, the falser and probably exaggerated conclusions I'll draw."

She opened her mouth to continue berating him but paused; the sound of quick footsteps approaching the room silencing her next words. The person -whoever it was- sounded hurried and for the first time since she arrived, Malfoy looked unsettled. His eyes having grown behind the glass in his spectacles, his mouth slightly agape. He made a move as if to stand but she'd already shook her head in warning. Taking a step back from the desk, her back fit flush to the wall just as the door swung open blocking her view of the room.

The sound of muffled metal on metal hit the desk.

"Malfoy," a male voice she couldn't place spoke out of breath. "I need the broom cupboard in the West Wing. Tonight."

There was a pause. "Sorry Chambers. I can't help tonight, you'll have to come back at a more convenient time or perhaps even tomorrow night." Rose found herself listening intently as Scorpius' tone took on an urgency she barely recognised.

"I brought payment," said Chambers, quite apparently irritated. "I could ask her sister-"

"That won't be necessary," came Scorpius' cold reply.

Rose's mind was racing; calculating and questioning. Pulling all the unknowns together, attempting to draw feasible conclusions that might fit with what Chambers had unwittingly just given away. Her heart sank with overwhelming disappointment. The pieces fitting together. _How could they do something like this?_

"Malfoy!" The boy's voice rose, "I pay you, a lot of people do for this service." Another piece to the messed-up puzzle. "What's the problem? We had no warning!"

"I didn't get a chance," Malfoy replied feebly. "Besides it's already booked."

The temperature in the room seemed to plummet in that moment. Rose sensed danger at the ruffle of robes as if someone was drawing a wand. She felt a fearful stab to her chest at the thought of Scorpius without his wand, defenceless.

"That's my area. My privilege," Chambers' voice was perilously low. "How dare you-"

Aware that with merely a flick of a wand, Scorpius could be in severe trouble, on instinct Rose thrust the door closed. Blood pounding in her ears as her cloak swept around her like a whirlwind, stepping between the two boys and thrusting her wand unnecessarily close to Chambers' neck. Trapping him between her raised wand and the closed door.

"Oh, I didn't realise you had company." Chambers said coolly, his eyes focusing on the Head Girl badge on her chest for a moment before looking over her shoulder at Malfoy as if she weren't standing there at all.

She felt an intense dislike for Chambers in that moment. His eyes glinted with nothing but malice. Admittedly her and Malfoy rarely saw eye to eye, but unlike Malfoy's general good nature, Chambers gave off an air of cruelty and arrogance that was putting her on edge.

"Do as he instructed Chambers." She took in a fraction of breath as her voice came out much louder than she'd intended. It sounded as if she was trying to make a conscious effort to appear more confident than she felt. "I'd stress that whatever trouble Malfoy is already in, I doubt you would want to be an accessory to it." His eyes finally flickered to her, his expression disinterested. Again his gaze focused on the sapphire badge and a sneer ghosted his face.

"I thought you only put out for Rhodes, Weasley. Interesting."

Her teeth bit down on her tongue. Hard.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," her voice cracked as her tongue throbbed painfully. "As to your insinuation that something is going on here," with the flick of a wand as she somehow managed to compose herself, she silently summoned the wand in Chambers grip, the sneer evapourating instantly, "if you'd rather I summoned Professor McGonagall then please take a seat." The last ounces of energy went into her last murmured sentence, venomous as her eyes shrunk to slits. Her heart threatening to burst between her ribs, from rage or distress she couldn't have been sure. She just knew she needed to get Chambers out of the room.

Rose's gaze followed his as it flickered to Malfoy, the latter still looking wary, perhaps less so now Chambers was unarmed.

With the last remaining ounce of patience left, she snarled, "Leave." Pushing his own wand into his chest, he backed out the door, which as some point had opened (although she would never recall having even thought the spell). With one last glare at Malfoy he grabbed his wand roughly, wrenching the door closed behind him. His footsteps echoing less and less in his retreat.

For a moment, they both stood in silence. Rose's breath raged, she tried to take deep calming breaths while Malfoy made no sound at all.

She put a hand to her own chest, her heart skittering wildly.

"Weasley, let me explain," Scorpius spoke quietly and almost tentatively.

She turned to him, eyes ablaze. "So that's what this is?" she cried, "you're abusing the map to rent out broom cupboards?" Scorpius it would seem, finally realised he was beat. Falling back into his seat, his shoulders collapsing he removed his glasses and rubbed tiredly at his eyes.

"The least you could do is look a little bit ashamed Malfoy!" It was Rose's turn to stare, and she found herself even more upset that now he'd been caught out he didn't dare look at her. In her displeasure she failed to notice his minute flinch as she growled out his surname.

"Do you honestly have nothing to say for yourself?" She demanded, bringing her hands down hard on the desk in front of him in an attempt to make him look up at her. It worked. His gaze was no longer confident as he raised his head, instead it was hesitant when meeting her eyes. He adjusted his glasses so they sat straight on his nose.

"I said you wouldn't like it-"

"Of course I bloody well don't! You must be breaking thirty, maybe forty school rules!" Rose noticed him stop mid eye-roll cursing loudly through her tirade. _What right does he have to treat Hogwarts like his own god damn parlour?_

"Taking money from students for services that aren't official; utilising a room in the castle without permission;" she began overtly counting these things of her fingers, "allowing and abetting frivolity within the castle - "

"Frivolity? Seriously?" He snorted, taking off his glasses and wiping them on his jumper.

"If you're mocking me Malfoy, you're an imbecile. A complete and utter troll," Rose spat, trying to smooth down her hair in an attempt to compose herself.

"How do you even know the people using the broom cupboards are of age? Who knows if some of the younger students could be pressured into something elicit with an older student!" She said shrilly, willing him to have any sort of response that wasn't patronising.

"We can see the map."

" _We_?!"

"Don't be naïve, Red. Albus was totally in on this too. I'm pretty sure those years ago it was his ingenious idea," he said, looking out towards the corner of the room feigning nostalgia.

"You're lying," Rose muttered, completely shocked by this revelation about her cousin. Without meaning to, she leaned on the chair facing Scorpius, all the fight leaving her in one foul breath. She felt winded, her head began to spin so she sat down hard on the chair, elbows on the desk with her face in her hands.

A sigh escaped him and she heard the cabinet open and the chinking of glass on the desk. "How do you think we both bought new racing brooms at the start of the year?" he challenged, nudging her arm with a cold tumbler. She flinched away giving him a reproachful look.

"I thought –"

"You thought wrong." He stated, pouring a generous amount of amber liquid into both glasses. He sat one in front of her but she pushed it back towards him without much thought.

"Suit yourself," he downed his glass without wincing before pouring himself another. "We'd been saving the money we make here to buy them ourselves," he stated, finally meeting her gaze; one glass of fire whiskey and her silent disbelief apparently enough to instil confidence back into him.

"I can't believe this," she said in a small voice. She thought she knew Albus, thought she knew what he was capable of. Pranks and Slytherin emblem aside, she would never have believed her cousin would take such a risk to his Hogwarts career just to buy a new racing broom. How wrong she'd been.

"How many people know about this? How do you know the students are of age? How long has this been going on? How much money have you both made?" He raised his hand to halt her questioning before pushing the half-filled tumbler back towards her.

"I'll tell you, Red. Just slow the hell down," he said, swilling the whiskey in his glass so it churned towards the rim.

"People found out by word of mouth. Most people thought it was a good idea. They have a safe outlet that is monitored so they don't have to worry about it. You'd be surprised how many people utilise us." Rose couldn't quite believe he was telling her all this, confessing intricate parts of this big secret he and Albus had kept from her, and who knew how many more of her relations. _Or perhaps you're the only one that doesn't know_.

"As for the age, what do you think we are? Monsters?" He asked cautiously, as if he sensed she was ready to start yelling again. "We have magic in place for both age and … awareness."

Rose found herself making a face at this. "Don't insult my intelligence."

"I'm not. I'm giving you answers aren't I? Telling you what you want to here?" As he asked this a flicker of annoyance passed over his face. He took another swig and when he returned to look at her he was composed once more.

"Then be serious. How the _hell_ are you policing this?"

"Anti-ageing potions," he stated simply, as if this were the most obvious answer in the world.

"How is that helping?" Rose asked sceptically.

"Well," he began, looking a little uncomfortable explaining this, "one of us does rounds while the other takes the desk."

"Are you both voyeurs now too?" she scoffed, unable to stop a mocking laugh escape her throat.

He stares at her for a moment, before nudging the glass further towards her again without breaking eye contact. Her face flushed as she realised what she's just asked.

"You know Chambers, the delightful boy you … disposed of?" Rose nodded once in acknowledgement.

"His girlfriend's sister is fourteen. Perhaps you'll understand now why I wasn't keen to take him up on the offer. He's a fucking creep. But because he's in the orchestra with Albus he found out. It _has_ proven difficult to avoid people like him finding out," he admitted, taking another swig.

Rose reached out for the glass in front of her, tilting the liquid from one side to the other. The temptation to down the drink in one go and leave before she found out even more information she couldn't deal with was becoming paramount. She felt like it was a trick, already deceived to an incomprehensible extent, the thought of taking a swig of the whiskey was like accepting what they'd been doing. It would seem like she approved of it all. Taking the drink as if it were a peace offering. A silencer.

"Please have a drink, Red. You're shaking." She glanced back down at her hands and they were indeed sloshing the liquid around. She didn't rely on drink to calm her down. Didn't rely on it to keep her cool and measured, she'd already given up any composure when she'd seated herself opposite him. She felt resigned to the truth, her want of knowledge overwhelming her. Clasping the glass between her hands she poured the entire volume down her throat, coughing a little as the drink burned down her throat; the feeling of flames lapping her tongue, providing a further wave of nausea.

His eyes were wide now behind his glasses. He clearly hadn't expected her to finish it, though it had been a rash move on her part. One of the thousand parts of the evening she would regret in the morning. She felt worn out and exhausted.

"How long have you been doing this?" She croaked, her throat still feeling burnt raw.

"Two years this month."

"And you guys use this as well?" she asked, her tongue loosened by the fire whiskey and the question having built up in the back of her mind as he continued to stare at her.

"Sometimes." He stated, pushing his spectacles up his nose again and adjusting them.

A lump sat in her throat, a pressure forming from shock and disappointment. As she stared back incredulously he broke eye contact and began shaking his head.

"You forget Red, that unlike you, the rest of us don't have privacy of our own dormitory for fooling around." His voice was clipped. She looked on in disbelief, unable to comprehend what he was saying.

"What're you going on about?" She asked defensively.

"You and Rhodes. I knew before Chambers said anything," his voice now possessed a cool quality as he averted his eyes. Although, after all this, there was a need in the back of her mind for him to want to look at her. To not know how she'd been treating Rhodes and to not turn the tables on her. To make her feel ashamed of herself.

"How? I don't go around telling people," she managed in a small voice. Her own guilt casting a dark shadow over her own morality. She knew he was being cunning, trying to turn the attention towards her but in truth she hadn't known people were aware of it. That alone was still something she was trying to take in.

"I saw you," his tone hollow.

"W-w-when?"

He looked at her then, and _his_ eyes burned. His glasses were thrust on the table as he leaned over it, gaze fixated on her face as if scrutinising her very soul and when he spoke tears welled in her eyes, "I saw you fucking him, steaming drunk, in the changing rooms at the end of last year."

She blinked. Trying to force the tears away, to hide her embarrassment at having been caught out all along.

"Everyone knows you've been screwing him up in the Head's Tower," he added, coldly.

Never in all the years she'd know him had he spoken to her in such a way. As if his teasing and good natured pestering had all been a lie, when all the while he'd been thinking this of her. That she was some other worthless slag, the only difference being the Head Girl badge on her chest. And just as suddenly as she'd felt guilty, her anger flooded back like being dunked under freezing water.

How dare he try to make this about her indiscretions? How dare he try to play the innocent in all of this after what she's caught him doing; her cousin's involvement be damned. And how dare he try to humiliate her for what she'd been doing? Maybe she had her own motives and more privacy than most but she wasn't making profit from it. Instead of cowering with guilt under his gaze she stood up to stare back at him, puffing out her chest defiantly.

"Stop making this about me, Malfoy. That's none of your business," his eyes flickered for a moment but he stared resolutely back. "Besides, why the hell do you care? What right have you to talk about my private life in such a way?"

It took a moment for the blush to become apparent. His warm breath on her face was still distracting against her will as they stood with only the desk between them, both leaned over so their faces were only a foot apart. Starting at his ears a dull colour covered his cheeks as he continued to look on, his lips parted as his eyes began to dart around her face – her eyes, the freckles across her nose, her lips. They hovered there a moment before the meaning of her questioning and his silence in response hit her like a sledge hammer. She recoiled in shock.

Once again he dusted down the non-existent lint off his jumper, it appeared to give him something to focus his attention on so as to not have to look at her. Only this time, they were fumbling hands, no nonchalance or confidence in sight. He put his glasses back on. She bit her lip.

This realisation did nothing for the churning in her stomach, transforming into butterflies it was becoming more and more difficult to ignore.

"I've got to tell McGonagall about this you know?" she said, more tentatively than she should have. Still reeling from his unspoken confession. He had just tried to take the heat off himself by speaking openly about her sexual encounters after all. He sighed, running long, slender fingers through his hair, putting his glasses back on.

His eyes went to the ceiling (she hoped it wasn't so he could avoid looking at her), "please talk to Albus before you do that."

"Why?" she asked stubbornly.

"Because…," another few hands ran through his hair, making it more of a dishevelled mess, "…because he'd kill me if I at least didn't ask you to. And," his eyes found hers, and they were already filled with regret before he spoke, "you could make a lot of enemies by shutting us down."

Her fist clenched at her side, it was like a jab of annoyance in her chest. She assumed it was a warning, not a threat. However, it still left a bitter taste in her mouth. After everything she'd just discovered she wasn't quite sure what he meant by it.

"Do you really think that's my priority in all this?" she asked truthfully.

"I'm just telling you like it is." He sat back down, looking completely dejected – a huge contrast to the self-assured, cordial bloke she'd walked in on earlier. "Like I've always done." He added as if an afterthought.

Rose had heard enough tonight. Her mind was swimming and her head throbbing; the tell-tale signs of a terrible night's sleep (thank Merlin it was Saturday) ahead. She nodded by way of farewell, something that had passed between the two of them many times before. She heard him sigh downcast as she closed the door behind her.

 _This isn't the same as the other times._

She had no idea what time of night it was when she finally crawled into bed. Having changed into her pajamas and washing in a daze. The night's discovery, and the multitude of unanswered questions battering the inside of her brain. How disillusioned had she been about the two of them. Up to mischief when really, they were running an underground business to allow students a crass method of hooking up. She groaned in the dark, the fact he'd pointed out about her own privacy implying she could abuse it with a boy she didn't really care about, enough to make her heart ache.

When she closed her eyes she saw his face as he blushed under the lamplight.

She knew she wasn't thinking clearly. After tossing and turning for some time, she figured the best thing to do would be to do as Scorpius had suggested and speak to Albus about it after all. Surely he'd be able to explain it with a little more clarity. She then had to remind herself that him and Scorpius had been doing this under her nose for two years now, so would Albus really tell her the truth? Family or not?

As the birds began to stir outside, sleep claimed her.

* * *

 **Please R/R if you have the time. Reviews are like gold dust.**  
 ****Mischief managed****


	2. Chapter 2

**Edited, December 2017.**

* * *

It wasn't the creaking of her bedroom door that woke Rose the next morning. Nor was it the waning February sunshine cast through the high windows.

Rose had been awake since the Head Boy had tapped gently on her door, cooing for the Head Girl's attention, stirring her from an unexpected dreamless sleep. She'd been grateful for the heavy wooden shield between them in that moment. Once he had given up and made his way down to breakfast, she had laid awake beneath the cotton sheets going over the previous night's events again and again. Keeping her eyes shut tight, defended from the rooms almost ethereal glow, she had no idea how long she'd laid there awake.

Even as she heard the springs from the chintz armchair beside her bed - suggesting someone had just sat down upon it - she didn't move.

She was yet to make any definitive choices. Blaming her uncharacteristic indecisiveness on the revelation that passed silently between herself and Scorpius. It weighed heavily on her chest, as guilt often does, seeming to be the surface dilemma that she shouldn't prioritise in her position as Head Girl. Anyone else might have gone straight to the Headmistress, but a part of Rose had been dwelling on the warning Scorpius had given her.

So far in her reign as one half of the Head's unit: she had organised events, garnered great respect from the prefects through punctuality and efficient organisation, maintained her usual level of diligence in class – unwavering it would seem, in the eyes of her professors. She was concerned that after such a solid start, that uncovering and exposing what Scorpius and Albus were up to might destroy any if not all popularity she held with the student body.

Not only this, but the look in Scorpius' eyes as he'd stared down at her lips was nothing short of bewildering. She'd known him almost as long as Albus had, except obviously not shared such a close friendship. With her and Albus spending time together frequently, whether visiting Hagrid or studying together, she had never gotten close to Scorpius due to those three things. Those three things that seemed rather empty in the cold light of day.

She had never thought of him in such a way. As someone who teased her and pestered her, more often than not to get a laugh out of Albus, she had thought it had all been light hearted, or at least she had assumed as much until now. She had never once considered Scorpius Malfoy as any kind of love interest before. Whenever her thoughts had wandered back to him during the morning, she'd seen his enlarged dark green iris eclipsed by his blown-out pupils behind her own eyelids. Each time she saw them the guilt only grew, swamping her mind of coherent thought; heavy, like a dense fog.

It was completely irrational for her to be reacting this way. That much she understood. It was the ambiguity of it all that made her over analyse it. How long had he harboured feelings for her? Had his outburst been out of jealousy or spite? Did Albus, or anyone else for that matter know? All she knew was that she had been going round and round in circles and was grateful when her friend finally spoke from her bedside.

"I know you're not sleeping, Rose. I shared a dormitory with you for six years," came the solemn voice of Jasmine Cattermole.

Rose opened one eye cautiously, initially blinded by the sunlit room, the high windows spilling light across the sapphire furnishings.

"I wasn't trying to be creepy you know. It's just really quite rare that you don't join me in the library on Sunday mornings," her friend continued, adjusting her sitting position on the chair, tucking one of her feet beneath her.

Braving both eyes, Rose hauled herself up on her pillows with great effort and patted the end of her bed, "what time is it?"

"Well you've just missed lunch," said Jasmine, positioning herself politely as far away from Rose's covered feet as possible. Rose's eyes went wide and in a state of panic she grabbed her diary from her bedside table and began tearing through the pages until she landed on the days' date. Realising there was nothing written there apart from her Herbology assignment and a detailed breakdown of the constellation Indus, she let out a sigh of relief. The afternoon would be ample time to finish both of those, while leaving enough time to re-read the forthcoming chapters of her Arithmancy book for Monday first period (which she'd already read several times from cover to cover but it wouldn't hurt to go over it again).

"No one asked after you, don't worry." Jasmine adjusted her sitting position again, pulling her leg beneath her on the bed. "I would have said you were under the weather or working up in here anyway," she shrugged, playing with a fraying thread on Rose's quilt.

"Thanks." Rose stated, staring resolutely at Jasmine's hand as it twirled the thread around her index finger.

The other girl stopped and brought her fidgeting hand into her lap, clasping them together.

"Would you like to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?" asked Rose, her tone already defensive.

Jasmine's eyes locked onto hers for a moment before an eyebrow raised dubiously. "It's rather out of character for you to miss two meals. Even more so if it's due to a hangover. You aren't hungover, are you?" she continued.

"Not hungover, no. Though that might be preferred right about now," Rose admitted, drawing her palms beneath her eyes in a poor attempt at making herself feel more alert.

Her friend's other eyebrow joined its pair, giving her a similar look to one McGonagall wore when exasperated with a classroom full of first years.

"If you don't want to tell me, that's fine. I said I'd meet Shannon in the library after lunch to start the constellations homework anyway. As I said, it's just kind of out of character. If you want to talk to me, I'll be in the library," Jasmine finished bluntly. Rose knew the other girl well enough to know this was her way of showing concern. Often through rounded and direct questioning. When Rose was ready to talk, she'd be there to listen. But she wouldn't wait around all day when there were books to read and essays to write if Rose wasn't willing to speak up.

Her friend stood up to leave, "we'll be at the usual table if you want to come work with us." She generously threw Rose a small smile before turning towards the door.

The overwhelming state that Rose was suffering through was enough to make her yell out in panic, "wait!" Jasmine turned silently, manoeuvring the armchair so it thudded against the side of Rose's bed. She came to sit on it and proceeded to lean forward on Rose's bedside table, a dubious look back on her round face.

Jasmine Cattermole was rather striking in appearance, so being stared down by her could feel rather intimidating. Her dark brow left her eyes hooded heavily, matching thick dark lashes that gave her a rather stern look that appeared all the more arresting when paired with shoulder length mousy hair and piercing baby blue eyes. She pulled her hair to one side and rested her chin on her palm, looking at Rose expectantly.

"It's all a bit of a mind fuck if I'm honest with you," blurted Rose, suddenly unable to keep her thoughts to herself. The mental battle waging war in her already busy mind loosening her tongue.

" _Mind fuck_ isn't exactly terminology I'm familiar with. As in," Jasmine corrected herself, "that covers a copious number of potential topics."

"Ok then. Just give me a minute. I'm not sure where to begin," Rose hesitated, not entirely convinced it was the right thing to do; ask Jasmine for help when the severity of the situation should have sent her to McGonagall immediately. Something she'd already told herself countless times that morning. She was skating rather dangerously on the edge of losing her badge if she kept this information to herself if a teacher were to find out she knew about it. Maybe asking someone else how to approach it all might give her an alternative solution, although the prospect seemed rather inconceivable. The involvement of her cousin alone – another variable to add to the already complex mix – was enough to warrant a vested interest in keeping him out of any more trouble.

Jasmine huffed; clearly irritated by Rose's evasiveness.

"When you hear what I found out last night, you'll understand why I'm finding this a little hard to grasp myself, let alone narrate what went on to someone else," she bit out impatiently.

"I assume something happened during patrols?"

"Yes. But not with Elliot." Rose hastened to add, Jasmine usually kept her thoughts to herself on Rose's _unusual_ relationship with Elliot and Rose didn't want another friend (was Scorpius ever her friend?) judging her for it as well. At least not openly.

"If it's making you this indirect it must be something rather serious," said Jasmine shortly, settling back into the chair, crossing her arms.

Rose closed her eyes and took a deep (intended to be calming) breath.

"That, I don't honestly know," admitted Rose, tossing the sheets off her bed and tugging a Weasley jumper over her head, beginning to pace across the room barefoot.

"I think Malfoy might fancy me."

"You say that like you didn't know."

Rose rounded on her friend, who still looked just as composed and not at all shocked by this information.

"You _did_?" cried Rose incredulously.

Jasmine merely shrugged, "I had a hunch."

"And you never thought to say anything?" asked Rose confused beyond reason and civility. She bristled with anger at Jasmine, realising a little too late that she was indeed right; they'd never once broached such a subject directly. It wasn't Jasmine's fault at all.

"It never came up. Did he make a pass at you or something? Jumped you in a corridor?" Jasmine's eyes now danced with curiosity. Rose chose to ignore her friend's last comment.

"You can't honestly say you didn't notice? Rose, he teases you like two kids in the playground. It's a rather immature method to gain your attention if you ask me. I just thought you were humouring him from time to time."

Rose gaped at her, "are you suggesting I lead him on?"

"Oh no. Now it makes sense that you had no idea and were treating it with entire innocence."

Rose had stopped pacing in favour of sitting back down on her bed in sheer disbelief. She was supposed to be Head Girl; intelligent, observant. Not so obtuse she couldn't even recognise when a guy fancied her.

"If it helps, I don't think Elliot has any idea. Though Albus might," this was all a bit too much for Rose in that moment and she collapsed on the bed, face first in her pillow. In frustration, bunching the pillow around her face she gave a strangled scream into the fabric, drawing it further to her face to muffle the sound. It made her feel better for a moment, cathartic almost from the otherwise crushing emotional turmoil.

"They are best friends after all," said Jasmine, clearly feeling the need to back up her argument. Rose couldn't see why she felt the need to, those boys were so close she would be more surprised if Albus didn't know than if he did.

Rose took in a shuddering and exhausted breath, "you make it sound like I'm exaggerating this."

"If you're taking this news badly, I can't begin to fathom what actually happened."

Jasmine - who it appeared was beginning to make herself at home – took out a notebook from her bag and wand from her sleeve, muttering an incantation, a focused expression pulling all her features together as if she'd tasted something sour. The book transformed into a dainty looking china plate before their eyes.

"Eugh, it was supposed to be patterned with gingham not check," she muttered before delving back into her bag and pulling out two apples. "I assume you're hungry?"

"Actually, I've never wanted food less," said Rose, all the stress having stolen her appetite completely. Jasmine just hummed in response, hovering the apple while making a few severing motions with her wand the apple beginning to gently peal itself.

Rose stood up and began pacing the same stretch of floor, mostly to stop herself using her pillow to deaden another pathetic scream.

"Mmmmh, maybe I shouldn't have said anything about Scorpius," said Jasmine through a mouthful of apple. She motioned to the sliced fruit she'd arranged neatly cut on the plate but Rose shook her head. "It's clearly not helped your state of mind."

"You think?" asked Rose sarcastically.

"Tell me the part that you're clearly all too keen to avoid then. It looks like it's eating you up, pardon the pun, completely unintentional, slipped out."

On a better day, Rose might have been amused by Jasmine's acute awareness of each sentence coming out of her own mouth. Rose usually envied her friend for that exact reason, having been born a Weasley she often struggled to keep from blurting out the first thing that came into her head. An inherited characteristic from her father she wasn't so happy to possess.

The idea that Jasmine might also have known all along about the misadventure Rose had stumbled upon the previous night was about the only thing holding her back. It would show just how little she knew about the inner workings of the castle, however lewd. It would also hurt to hear her friend confess to contributing – albeit, without knowing - to Slytherin's victory through monetary contributions.

"As it turns out, Malfoy and Albus have been renting out broom cupboards to couples. For two years."

"What?"

"I didn't manage to get many more details than that what with being interrupted by Chambers. You know that Gryffindor who plays the violin?" Jasmine nodded mutely, appearing to have forgotten about the slice of apple she'd raised to her mouth.

"He interrupted me interrogating Malfoy in their make shift office down in the dungeons. A mild scuffle ensued, then he left and I didn't manage to get any more info from Scorpius before his little confession distracted me," admitted Rose, the weight easing slightly on her chest as she continued her explanation.

Jasmine continued to gape, her mouth set in a silent 'O'.

"I take it from your expression, you didn't know about this either?" asked Rose, unable to keep the hopeful note out of her voice.

Jasmine shook her head, her eyes growing wide. Dropping the plate unceremoniously onto Rose's bed she scooted to the edge of her seat.

"How? Why? _What_?" said Jasmine, sounding just as disbelieving as Rose had the previous night.

"I know. I said _mind fuck_ didn't I?"

"Well, as it turns out; you weren't wrong," uttered Jasmine, her voice small and hushed. "You're going to have to elaborate, just a little. This is absolutely mad!"

"This is also why I couldn't get out of bed this morning. I have no idea what to do."

"You have to tell McGonagall."

"I don't think I can. Not yet. Not without hearing Albus' side of the story."

"Why? You're Head Girl! If McGonagall found out, she'd have your badge!" dispelling Jasmine, taking on a panicked look.

"Maybe. I do feel like I should maybe speak to Albus though."

"Again, why? He's always in trouble for something, you don't want his misdeeds dragging you down with him!" Rose bristled a little at this comment. What Albus was doing, apparently wasn't directly hurting anyone. Through it all, he remained her cousin. A part of her knew she had to hear him out. _Scorpius was right_.

"I can't just turn him in-"

"He's your cousin, blah blah blah." Jasmine waved a hand dismissively. "Can you honestly say it's worth the risk Rose?"

"They've been doing it for years, they've managed to keep it secret for this long," Rose repeated, chancing a cautious glance at her friend, frowning slightly.

Jasmine blustered with indignation, "do not look at me like that, Rose Weasley! I'm trying to look out for your interests here."

As it turned out, telling Jasmine served a purpose. Rose felt infinitely more relaxed sharing the nights events with someone. Somewhere along the line she'd clearly decided how to proceed. Perhaps it had been her subconscious or at some point during the internal battle with herself whether to tell her friend, she had already come to her own conclusion. The difficulty now came in persuading Jasmine not to go to McGonagall of her own volition.

"I believe you. You stayed so you deserved an explanation," answered Rose.

It was Jasmine's turn to bristle. "So, you really must have needed my input then!" The girl sat back in the armchair, finishing the fruit and tossing the plate back onto the table roughly. The sound of china cracking echoed around the room before the plate slipped cleanly in two. Both girls stared at it silently.

Jasmine moved first, realising her mistake she shook her head, tapping the plate with her wand. It fixing back together seamlessly.

"You're telling me they've been doing this for years and them keeping it from you isn't enough to make you go straight to McGonagall?" Jasmine asked, looking at Rose sceptically.

She thought about this for a moment, "Any sort of deception has consequences."

Jasmine laughed derisively, "I'm glad you can at least admit that's what they were doing. Deceit. Deception. All the 'D's." The girl seemed to miss the unfortunate phrasing in her last statement. To Rose, it did not go unnoticed.

"Of course, I'm upset about it all. Although it certainly feels better to tell you. And to be honest, I'm kind of glad you didn't know about it either."

"Thanks. I'm glad, as your friend, I am just as misinformed as you are. It must show how unamorous my life is," Jasmine stated bitterly before taking a wolfish bite out of the second apple. She held it out to Rose who this time nodded. Jasmine tossed it to Rose, who caught it clumsily before taking a bite herself.

Food tasted good. Regrettably, her stomach gave a growl, revealing just how hungry she was underneath the easing blanket of anxiety.

"I didn't think you'd care this much," said Rose, guardedly. The other girl seemed to crumple into herself where she sat.

"Ordinarily I wouldn't. But to hear what sort of antics are perpetually going on under our noses hits a little harder than I'd hoped. How have they avoided detection this long?" Jasmine asked.

"They've been using -"

"The map, yes. I should have worked that one out from the start."

Rose smiled a little, "thanks."

"For?"

"For being the usual voice of reason. My sensible adviser," the smile Rose gave her friend seemed to warm her from the inside.

"What would you do without me?"

"I wouldn't be Head Girl, for certain." Jasmine barked out a laugh.

"Don't be ridiculous. Academic merit, a populist. You were always a star candidate. _Anyway_ , we've had that conversation before. Right now we've got loads of work to do. Also," Jasmine shifted uncomfortably in her seat again, glancing around the room, it appeared in need of confidence with what she was about to say next. "I'm not as … lame as people believe. Even I give in to peer pressure at pre-planned occasions." Jasmine displaying a rare shred of what would be considered normal teenage self-consciousness was enough to allow Rose's grin to widen.

"You're a real Jekyll and Hyde when the fire whiskey comes out. I've seen it," Rose felt a laugh bubbling in her throat, it came out strangled but then took over so she was bent over laughing. It felt good to laugh.

"You're lucky I read muggle fiction and understand that reference," said Jasmine gather her things together earnestly. When Rose's laughter had subsided, both girls drew towards one another in the centre of the room.

"Sorry I snapped a little as well, just … you will speak to Albus?"

"I'll probably have to catch him after orchestra tonight. But yes, rest assured I will speak to him. Now I've told you, I've got no one else to confide in. Otherwise I'm just sat on this secret that will do nothing for my concentration."

"Good," said Jasmine nodding. She lent out and squeezed Rose's shoulder affectionately, her mouth tugging up into a half smile.

"I'm going to head to the library. I assume you'll want to shower and get dressed," Jasmine gestured to the pyjama bottoms Rose was sporting that were covered in variously coloured pygmy puffs.

Rose put her hands in the pockets of them, moving her knees from side to side, "perhaps it could be my new library look. Restricted section chic." Jasmine just shook her head, not humoured by Rose's brighter mood.

"I could even get a matching pair for Madame Pince!" shouted Rose, as Jasmine left, closing her bedroom door behind her.

* * *

Jasmine, Shannon and herself had completed the Herbology assignment that afternoon with minimal upset (unless you count some third years letting loose a Fanged Frisbee in the Goblin Rebellion section). It had been quite easy once she got her head down, to focus on work at hand; a welcome and familiar distraction. She enjoyed reading the literature on mandrakes and formulating a cohesive argument on their preferred climate. Upon completion of their essays, the girls rapidly dissolved into a hushed, yet heated discussion on their plans post-Hogwarts.

Jasmine was the only member of their group already planning ahead for the Healer training course she had recently been accepted into. Shannon however shared Rose's indecision, to a point where she had considered writing potential careers onto a sheet of parchment and pointing to one at random. Jasmine and Rose had chided her for such a risky idea, given she could end up in a career working with mountain trolls if she wasn't careful.

The Indus constellation work laid untouched but not forgotten at the bottom of Rose's bag as the girls made their way to dinner. The usual clamour of the Great Hall seemed muted, as Sunday evenings often were. Some of the older students looked exhausted from a combination of essay writing and late night antics from the outset of the weekend. Younger students hugged mugs of cocoa, their eyes still bright somehow beneath the indigo sky of the enchanted ceiling.

Rose hastened to the closest side of the Ravenclaw table so she wouldn't have to face the Slytherins. She wanted to eat her dinner in peace without fear of locking eyes with bespectacled ones.

Her and the girls chatted animatedly through dinner and dessert (Rose enjoyed two portions of apple crumble before succumbing to a mild comatose state) until they were almost the last souls seated in the hall.

"I think I'm going to have to head back to the library," said Shannon wearily, getting up from the bench. "Why I took astronomy at N.E.W.T. level, I'll never know." As Shannon riffled through her bag, Rose took the opportunity to eye up the marble staircase as potential way of escape. Her day had felt completely ordinary, momentary bliss compared to the onslaught that no doubt awaited. Jasmine must have seen her falter as she raised a dark, judgemental eyebrow.

"Didn't you say you wanted to speak to Albus?" she asked, the disparaging note in her voice quite obvious. Shannon who was still searching her bag didn't seem to notice. Rose lowered her eyes, finding Jasmine's look unsettling.

"Rose?"

Scrunching her face up in anguish, Rose nodded. "Yep. Off I go." Jasmine nodded, still watching her. "Thanks for reminding me," said Rose through gritted teeth. She edged out of the hall, casting a furtive glance over her shoulder to see Jasmine emptying Shannon's bag across the Ravenclaw bench to find whatever was holding them up.

Rose approached the orchestra room with unbridled misgivings. She paused outside in the corridor as brass instruments continued their fanfare. She tried to pick out Albus in the melody. Not having a distinguished ear for classical music she struggled as more scores joined in the final crescendo.

The ringing notes drawn out reverberated through Rose's ribcage, loud enough even outside the music room to cause her throat to tighten in anticipation. Like the end of all good musical pieces; it left her feeling almost hollow as the note faded out, resonating a feeling of longing for another to fill the delicate emptiness left behind.

There was an instantaneous uproar, a scuffle of feet and leaves of parchment built from behind the door. Scraping of chairs and instrument case fastenings opening and closing followed the swell of noise. The door burst open, spilling students out along with a harried looking Professor Willowsworth.

"I needn't remind you that just because this is an extracurricular activity that your presentation should not suffer. Poole, that means stop wearing your robes as a toga immediately!" The professor spotted Rose hovering by the door and tilted her head back into the room. "He's hanging back with some of the other Slytherin boys, Miss Weasley. I assume it's Potter you're here to se - POOLE! Nor does that mean you should wear them as a turban!" The professor's attention diverted back to the grinning boy who pelted off down the corridor after his friends, clutching his flute case to his chest. Willowsworth followed hawk-like after the retreating boys, leaving the corridor quiet again accept for the murmurings coming from the classroom.

Rose turned to lean on the door frame, hoisting her book bag back onto her shoulder. She almost collided with something, or someone very solid. Patrick Chambers rove his eyes over her once before grinning.

"Maybe I _can_ see what Rhodes and Malfoy like so much," his grin slipping effortlessly into a sneer. In a spark of white hot anger she took a step back, her hand up her sleeve around her wand.

"You need to learn that you can't speak to me, or any women for that matter in such a way, Chambers," Rose whispered in a hope it wouldn't travel to the classroom beyond. An utterly absorbing hatred was coursing through her. _Fucking misogynist_ – the only thought fuelling her simmering rage. He had the audacity to lunge forward then as if to grab hold of her before stepping to one side and walking past her chuckling darkly.

Her skin pimpled in gooseflesh, she shook her head as if it could wipe the horrid look on Chambers face from her memory. Riled up from bumping into Chambers made her instinctively feel the need to hasten up to her common room to bed but the sound of Albus' discernible laughter seemed to awaken something in her suddenly. It was people like Chambers why Albus and Scorpius' business venture wasn't a good idea. People like him made it unsafe and that alone was a good enough reason to convince them to quit while they were ahead.

When she stepped over the threshold she saw Albus sat at a desk facing the back wall with a drum stick in each hand. Three other boys of various ages still sat casually in their chairs in the half crescent arrangement of orchestra seating.

"Potter, if you're going to play drums then don't you want there to be some actual drumming in it?"

"Well yeah, but I'm still learning. Some muggle stuff – you know the record we put on in the common room the other night – _blood runs thicker, oh we're thick as thieves y'know_ ," Albus drummed enthusiastically; a crude beat on the edge of the desk as he whacked and tapped.

Rose looked on silently, feeling a smirk blossom on her face.

"The Libertines one?" asked one of the boys.

"Yes! That's the one. Appropriate for us as a band, don't you think?"

"Appropriate for you and Scorp's bromance, more like!" Laughed the bulkiest looking of the group. The others guffawed along with him as Albus threw a score book at the other boy's chest. He slapped it away and it fell to the floor with a loud smack. As the boy lent to pick it up still tittering to himself he spotted Rose stood by the door.

She suddenly wished she'd made herself known rather than appearing like she was eavesdropping. She adjusted the badge on her own chest without even realising as she took another step further into the room. Albus spun round, following the other boy's gaze, his eyes darting to the badge as she moved her hand jerkily away. He frowned.

 _Merlin this is not going to be easy._

The bulkiest boy seemed to pick up on Albus' instantaneous change of mood and motioned for the other boys to follow him.

"We'll catch you later Al. Think you need to practice on a proper kit though mate, it's the only way you'll get the right rhythm." He held out a fist that Albus' bumped without taking his eyes off hers. The boys filed out. Albus glanced at the door, his frown unmoving. She took the hint turning to close it, taking as much time as would be deemed acceptable. Anything to avoid Albus when he was looking at her like that.

When she faced him, he'd perched himself on a desk, feet on a chair, hands splayed back on the desk behind him. He would have looked at ease if it weren't for the morose expression he was wearing.

For a moment, neither cousin spoke.

Rose was reminded with a uncomfortable jolt of how Scorpius had stared at her. Guilt crept its way into her veins as she looked on at his best friend, aware that she probably cared about Scorpius' confession more than she should. _You aren't even friends._ Part of her confusion probably spun from her own question of why did she even care so much?

It would be naïve of her to assume that Albus hadn't spoken to Scorpius, based on how tense he looked, although trying to appear casual. Rose doubted whether she was less keen to talk about it than he was.

Rose had gone over numerous scenarios as to how this conversation was about to go. All of them ending in one of the other storming off. The possibility of an all but inevitable blow out was enough to keep her quiet.

"First things first, are you here to tell me you're dobbing us in?" Albus started, addressing Rose with zero trepidation. "Or, did you come with some intention – however minute – of hearing me out?"

Rose didn't speak. The churning in her stomach multiplying tenfold. She was already frustrated with herself for being so indecisive about the situation she had been put in, Albus acting his usual easy-going self didn't help. He would know full well she wouldn't be here if she'd decided to go to McGonagall. She wouldn't have braved facing him for days until it would have all blow over. But she knew him well enough too; he was laying out the options so obviously that he couldn't be backed into a corner.

She let out a sigh. The mental fight was enough to make her weak-willed when faced with her chancer of a cousin.

"I'll hear you out."

Albus deigned a look of surprise, "really?"

"Scorpius asked me to." Albus' face transformed into a confused one.

"And you're doing as he asked?"

"Don't sound so surprised." She sighed, exasperated. She dragged out a chair and sat down. It was astounding how all the anxiety came flooding back when finally facing Albus. She should know by now that it never went the way she planned in her head.

"Not sure you've ever listened to a word he's said before."

"I have!" She said defensively.

Albus smirked as if all knowing, "Go on then. Try to talk me out of it." He said good naturedly. Getting up from his perch, he crossed the room briskly and tugging out his own chair only a desk away.

"Firstly," said Rose, determined to not let Albus try to charm his way out of the situation, "Scorpius didn't explain very well, you're going to have to elaborate some details. You couldn't possibly be able to tell people if there was a Professor close by for a start."

Albus smirk only grew, "of course we could Rosie."

"Don't patronise me Al, I've come here to give you a chance, don't make me regret this."

He held up his hands in his defence, "I only said it like that because you'll kick yourself you even had to ask me that question." She looked on blankly, her mind unable to catch up to where Albus was, all too proudly.

"Coins, like your mum used. Scorp's idea," he added, shooting her a meaningful look.

"He read the newest-"

" _Hogwarts a History – Twentieth Century Edition_ , yeah. Might have procured your copy actually a few summers ago."

Rose huffed childishly, unsurprised that this might have been the case. She was slightly surprised however by the idea that Scorpius voluntarily read the newest edition of Hogwarts a History that comprised a whole section of her parents and uncle's misadventures in the castle. _You don't really know him at all, do you?_

"We take it in turns to patrol. With the cloak of course. Warning patrons where we can. People still get caught from time to time." All of this seemed to roll off Albus' tongue like a manifesto. "We refund those particular individuals, it wouldn't be the great service it is if we kept their money. Might seem like we were doing it on purpose, and we certainly don't want that."

Rose's skin began to crawl. She felt uncomfortable with how easy Albus made it all sound. She'd been living in ignorance for so long, the truth seemed much smuttier when spoken about so freely.

"Are you trying to sell this to me?" she asked incredulously. "It sounds like a bloody business pitch. Something you've practiced!"

"Well we had to set the ground rules early," said Albus casually, gazing off into the distance like Scorpius had the night before.

"That's another thing," Rose began, Albus smiled cordially again. That smile was beginning to get on her nerves. "How are you stopping people being reckless? Abusing the rooms with younger students for instance."

"Scorp said you asked him that."

"It's a valid question." Rose ground out in an effort to keep her voice from rising.

Albus looked at her silently for a moment. His smile faultered.

"We don't." Rose's stomach lurched at this admission. "We can't. Not all the time."

Rose opened her mouth to argue but Albus raised a hand and she fell silent. The conviction on his face now mirroring his tone, "Realistically Rose, anyone can be in a broom cupboard with anyone. We provide this service so people feel a heightened sense of privacy. Whether we were doing this or not, people would be using broom cupboards for whatever they wanted anyway. You know that."

"You've never seen anything on the map?"

"No. Not if you're referring to those in younger years."

Al's eyes heavy on her made her feel sick. She clutched her hands around her body beneath her robes.

She hadn't considered what Albus had said. That people would fool around however they could. She was grateful Albus hadn't brought up the privacy of her own dorm. She knew she couldn't talk her way out of this. And this realisation didn't sit well with Rose. Feeling out-played was not a familiar situation to her. Pursing her lips, the frown she hadn't noticed only deepened. Being beaten by a solid, rational argument was almost enough to make her want to rip off her badge and throw it at Albus' contented form.

Her deepest insecurity in all of this began to grow like a fungus inside her as they sat there in silence. Albus waiting for her fight that wouldn't come. The fungus spread grotesquely in her mind, feeding off her jealousy as she recalled flashes of Albus and Scorpius joking together over the summer, embracing from Christmases apart, huddled together at a table in the back of a classroom. With each vision it stabbed at her heart.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She croaked out shakily, already knowing the answer; in need to hear it confirmed herself.

She watched her cousin fidget awkwardly under her stare. She wanted him to feel hard done by. It wasn't fair she was the only one to feel this way.

"You made your choice," he rasped, as if trying to hold in the words as they scraped to get out of his throat. "It was obvious you wanted to be Head Girl, because of that I couldn't tell you."

As it turned out, the truth was even more difficult to swallow than she'd imagined. The tears fell freely and silently onto her jumper.

"You mean you couldn't trust me?" she tasted salt as she spoke but didn't even attempt to wipe her eyes. "There is some bull shit in there Al. Scorpius said you'd been doing this for two years!"

"I honestly thought someone would have told you by now. Or you would have found out from someone else."

He made no effort to comfort her. Normally indifferent to tears, Albus continued as if they were just having a conversation over a cup of tea.

"We were never going to run in the same friendship circles at school, Rose. That was pretty obvious to begin with."

"But you didn't trust me with this!" Her voice shrill and sharp in her ears.

"How could I?" asked Albus, getting off the desk, beginning to collect his belongings together. "You chose academia, the straight and narrow-"

"You mean the goody-two-shoes? I'm your cousin Albus! How could you not share this with me?"

"I was doing it with Scorpius for a start, and I knew you wouldn't like that."

"Don't bring him up, I don't think my heart can take any more."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Albus, his tone lingering on the side of threatening.

She considered for the briefest of moments not saying anything. But she wasn't thinking clearly. It was out of her mouth before she could stop herself.

"Does Scorpius fancy me?"

"Why on earth would you ask me that?"

"We argued about Elliot…"

Albus looked utterly outraged, "Where the hell is this coming from?"

"I asked you if Scorpius fancies me. How he was acting might have suggested it," she admitted, "You owe me a shred of truth."

"Why would you even care? You don't like him."

They sat there watching one another silently again. Rose tried to mull over Albus' statement without letting it show on her face.

Was she being ridiculous? There was something odd about the whole situation. For some bizarre reason, she cared more about Scorpius _maybe_ fancying her than she did about getting Elliot into bed. How did that make any sense? There was no wonder Albus was up in arms about it all. She hadn't really given Scorpius the time of day during their time at Hogwarts. Safe in the knowledge Albus had a good and loyal friend in him, the only times they really hung out amicably was at the Burrow over the past four summers. Even then, Rose had often snubbed him after his childish teasing began to get wearing.

"He was never supposed to actually fucking tell you."

Rose didn't even think she saw Albus' mouth move. A dangerously low note to his voice, she almost winced.

"What on earth is that supposed to mean?"

Albus tore his eyes away from her, shoving his belongings into his bag aggressively. Rose tried in vain to grab his wrist; he pulled away before she even got close.

"Albus!" she all but cried, pleading with him. He had his hand on the door before he turned around.

"I said," he looked wholly vexed, "he was never supposed to tell you. You don't like him, Rose. Don't even try to convince me you do."

She was speechless. She just watched as he wrenched open the door, frozen in shock at his attitude.

"About our broom cupboard arrangement; you can't close us down. You think the founders would be proud of you abusing your Head dorm?"

"Albus, hold on a second –"

"No, Rose. They wouldn't have been."

"You can't possibly be turning this on me! Scorpius tried to pull the same thing!" she cried again, incredulously. She took a stride towards him through the desks, in an attempt to make him stay put in the room. Albus paused for a moment, Rose taking full advantage of his fraction of weakness. In frustration, not for the first time that evening, she blurted out the first thing that came into her mind.

"What do you think we might do? Run off into the sunset? Leave you behind like you've left me countless times?" She was sounding hysterical, clutching at straws and making up unrealistic stories.

Albus looked at her then, pityingly. It crushed her heart effortlessly in one look.

"He was never supposed to tell you. Let it go, Rose. I'll see you around." He said quietly.

And then he was gone.

She stared at the corridor beyond the music room for a few moments before sobs wracked her body completely. Sitting at a desk, she looked blearily out of the window in the corridor beyond only seeing blackness.

Rose couldn't quite believe just how badly that conversation had gone. How Albus had reacted when she had brought up Scorpius in such a way. Her and Albus had never gotten on as well as people might have expected, but he certainly didn't behave like that towards her.

Trying to steady her breathing she wiped at her eyes with her robes. A poor attempt to compose herself. Heading up to the common room she collapsed on her bed, ignoring the guilty feeling at the back of her mind that she should be in the library.

The worst thing of it all was that Albus was right about one thing. This realisation was a painful one. Their broom cupboard enterprise wasn't really anything students wouldn't be doing themselves without it. The only real rules they were breaking was taking money from other students, although even then this happened on a daily basis for various things in the castle already- bets, gobstones, bribes for homework – they all just feigned ignorance because it wasn't physically hurting anyone. Now she felt uncomfortable going to McGonagall. She was a complete hypocrite if she did, and now she knew it.

What she didn't understand was Albus' outrage over this whole Scorpius situation. That wasn't really a situation at all. The only people it should really concern should be her and Scorpius, and even then, she still didn't know how she really felt about it.

That evening in her bedroom, she didn't have time to dwell on it, the exhaustion of the last day having took its toll. She dressed for bed quickly and got underneath the covers. She didn't feel like seeing the girls either. Jasmine would only be frustrated with the fact that Albus had upset her and Rose had no energy left to argue.

It didn't take long for her to fall asleep that night. A welcome contrast to the previous night, completely worn out, she slept soundly. All worries and problems would be there come morning, whether she would avoid them or conquer them would be determined then. One thing was for sure, it was Monday morning and she was Head Girl. That meant a confident front and perfect composure entering the week ahead. Whether she felt that way on the inside or not.

* * *

 **Here is another chapter care of the British Bank Holiday Monday. We have far too many of them, but it's a good excuse to write.  
** **I hope you enjoy. All feedback whether Outstanding, Acceptable or Troll are welcome.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Edited, December 2017.**

* * *

 _ **The summer before seventh year…**_

Rose Weasley sat in the lush summer garden of the burrow beneath a beach tree. Her toes were buried in the soft grass, a book resting in her lap as she revelled in the first peace and quiet the Burrow had offered all summer.

Almost everyone was at work or out for the day, so Rose had taken the oppourtunity to relax for a while. Without fear of being pelted at by jinked water balloons that could pop and reform repeatedly or worse; get dunked head first into the pond. The rarity of such tranquillity on the Elder Weasley property was virtually unheard of, so Rose intended to soak up the sun's rays in peace for as long as possible.

She'd lost track of how far the sun had moved in the sky as she sat there. It must have been hours. Her and her grandparents had enjoyed a relaxing brunch in the front garden with pastries and fresh fruit amongst the honeysuckle as the chickens had clucked and pecked near their bare ankles. The day had been hot with a pleasant breeze that ruffled the pages of her book once in a while.

A clatter echoed from the open patio door. Rose didn't look up to inspect the commotion immediately, instead she shifted further into the nook in the beach tree, refocusing on the words in front of her. She scrunched her feet into the grass, as if it anchored her to her fictional escape more securely. She tried not to give the noise much thought.

Another sound of pots crashing against each other carried on the breeze across the garden.

Molly Weasley never made such a racket when in the kitchen. She frowned in an attempt to aid her concentration, yet now she was distracted she couldn't continue reading. She had to investigate.

Closing her book she pushed herself up on the trunk of the tree and slipped on her sandals. She immediately felt eyes on her.

Through the kitchen window a pair of horn-rimmed, bespectacled eyes stared back. A shock of dirty blond hair made the culprit of the noise no longer a mystery. He blinked under her watchful look before continuing what looked like ransacking her grandmother's kitchen.

Rose huffed. Of course he was here. It was Albus' birthday tomorrow after all. Crossing the lawn to the open door, she instinctively tugged down her summer shorts aware of how much skin she had on show. She thought for a fleeting moment of Elliot and the nail marks that had been left on her creamy thighs the day after they'd fucked in the changing rooms. The thought made her throat dry. It also made her wish firewhiskey had never been invented. She tugged on the denim again, self-conscious. She was grateful right now, hovering outside the open back door that those marks hadn't made more permeant punctures on her legs.

"Red, do you know where I'd find a whisk?" His voice sounded pained, floating through the open door.

She crossed the threshold, pushing past the door leaving it open so the summer breeze could fill the room.

"Where is everyone?" she asked, blatantly ignoring his question. Her eyes darted around the room hopeful that her grandfather was hiding behind one of the sofas.

"They're all out til late, so Mr Weasley told me." Scorpius continued to open cupboards at random leaving half of them open in his wake. Rose leant to close the one nearest her.

"Red? The whisk?"

"Where is grandad?" she asked again.

"He's out there," he gestured towards the front garden, "with your Gran. They were all cosied up near the chicken coup so they told me to come in and get cracking!" He began pulling wooden spoons out of draws and a mixing bowl from the shelf beneath the table top. "Besides I didn't want to watch." He added cheekily, waggling his eyebrows at her. She rolled her eyes.

She felt disgruntled with him here in the Weasley's kitchen without any other family present. "Get cracking with what? And did he say when everyone would be back?" She dismissed his eyebrows which were for some reason still wiggling. She was very aware that within Ottery St Catchpole in that moment, there might only be four magical folk. And two of them were currently stood in the Weasley's kitchen. This made her uncomfortable. She was used to being surrounded by family here, but Malfoy was an unprecedented addition without Albus by his side.

This time he appeared to disregard her question. His arms disappeared into the fridge grasping what Rose could only assume were ingredients and began stacking them in a small pile on the slanted work surface.

"I think he said something like a few hours…be back for tea later tonight the lot of them. Albus' birthday tomorrow so the whole family is heading over considering tomorrow is Saturd- AHA!" He began tugging at something under the sink, his arm struggling to reach the back of a cupboard.

Rose grinned smugly while watching him struggle. She took out her wand from her back pocket and summoned what she assumed was the whisk he was evidently trying to grab finally.

"Hey!" He caught it deftly before it flew into Rose's outstretched hand, "I could have done that, Red."

"But you didn't," she said, trying not to smirk herself as he turned to face her.

She was aware that Scorpius' seventeenth birthday had already been. Her and Jasmine had been invited to the party, both declining to instead spend the evening completing a three-foot charms essay. For the ninety-seven percent mark Rose received she didn't think she could have missed out on that much. It did seem odd to her why he hadn't thought to use magic now he was of age. She knew better than most he was quite capable of wandwork whether he admitted it to everyone else or not.

Against her better judgement (her curiosity getting the better of her as always) she hopped onto the counter top opposite him. Still feeling a slight sense of unease, she took advantage of his back being turned to her to take a proper look at him.

Sometimes Rose wondered how he was let out of his house in the summer wearing such an odd assortment of clothes. This was when compared to his attire at school where his shoes were the shiniest thing in sight; his overall appearance generally impeccable. Everything he was wearing today looked incredibly mismatched and scruffy. He'd donned a faded tshirt that she assumed had been picked out of a muggle charity shop. It bore a name she could barely make out due to peeling letters and beneath it a demonic woman appeared to be screaming her lungs out. Choosing to pair this with denim shorts that looked cut off at home (probably by himself or Albus) and plimsoles. His ridiculously muggle attire made something unwittingly tighten in her gut.

She assumed this feeling was fear that Albus might jump out any second and pour a bag of flour over her head, laughing as he went. That wouldn't at all surprise her. It was the fact that a small part of her found his appearance endearing. A pureblood boy trying to blend in with the Weasleys. Like hell she would ever say that out loud, though. He was still Scorpius Malfoy after all.

"What exactly are you doing destroying my grandparent's kitchen?" She inquired, unable to keep a taunting edge out of her voice. Years of built up mistrust spurring her on. His back stiffened as he rotated to face her, elbows propped on the counter top.

"As it happens," he paused for dramatic effect, lowering his eyes at her, "I'm making a cake for Al's birthday."

Rose almost slipped off the side in surprise. "I'm sorry?"

"A cake," he repeated, still not taking out his own wand, instead tugging a brass scale from the window sill along with some rusted weights. "It's something delicious that people have at weddings, birthdays... perhaps even if one procured a seat on the Wizengamot one might celebrate with a cake."

Rose snorted. He glanced at her before lifting his glasses up on top of his head taking most of his blond fringe with them.

"Since when can you bake a cake? Where's your wand, Malfoy?" She asked incredulously. Rose knew how talented Malfoy was at most things, there was no way he was an accomplished baker to boot.

He shook his head violently, "never got the hang of those cooking spells and have never had the chance to practice those at home. Christ, do you know where I live?!" She bit her tongue guiltily.

"Also," he rounded on her, wooden spoon brandishing with every syllable, "why are you here? You normally try to avoid me at all costs?" The wooden spoon now pointed accusatorially between her eyes. She used her hand to push it away.

"No I don't," she said defensively. "This is my grandparent's house you know." She added a little sheepishly. Feeling slightly awkward at the allegation, although not entirely untrue she still felt indignant when Scorpius brought it up himself.

He was doing that thing again. Staring. Only this time they were stood rather close and she could see his green eyes wary behind the glass of his spectacles that had fallen back onto his nose.

Another knot began to twist deep in her belly as neither of them motioned to move. It felt odd standing with each other and not completely dreading or trying to avoid his company. So far he hadn't thrown any flour at her. That was better than she had normally come to expect.

"You looked pretty comfortable reading outside," he said suspiciously, narrowing his eyes.

Rose bristled instantly, "you were the one making a racket! I had to come investigate; especially seeing as most of my family is supposed to be out of Ottery this afternoon. My grandmother doesn't make a fraction of the noise you do in the kitchen!" She finished, breathing a little sharply after her tirade.

Not even a blind man could have missed the smile that grew on Scorpius' face as she spoke. It lit up his face in the most beautiful way as he looked at her almost adoringly. All too soon, a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes and Rose had to fight the urge to take a step back in fear. The sack of flour was awfully close to his hand on the counter.

"Ok, Red. How about we put aside our differences and you help me with this. I plan on four tiers minimum," he said, smiling down at her still. It was a genuine thing that made her heart swoop. It shouldn't be making her heart swoop. Certainly not the smile of Scorpius-best friend of Albus Potter-prankster extraordinaire- surfer dude- hornrimmed bespectacled-Malfoy.

Rose felt a rush of insecurity and overwhelming curiosity all at once. It almost made her feel lightheaded, her toes even began to tingle. Would hanging out with Malfoy be all that terrible? On the surface at least, he seemed to be behaving himself without Albus around. Rose blamed his ludicrous attire for making him appear much more harmless that usual. _I can't honestly believe that Malfoy knows how to bake._ It was settled; she wanted to witness this first hand. she would however, keep her wand at the ready if she was potentially ambushed later on.

She tugged her unruly hair into a loose bun, threading her wand through the centre for safe keeping. "Where do we start?"

"Yo-you're actually staying?" Malfoy spluttered in disbelief.

She glowered at him briefly, although it possessed only a hint of her usual derision.

"You suggested it."

"Well..."

"I'm more staying to bear witness, because a part of me just can't quite believe that you know how to bake a cake from scratch," she confessed, moving the ingredients around to make room on the work surface.

"Cheers for the vote of confidence, Red." He said, although there was obvious humour in his voice.

Rose would argue later, if anyone questioned it, that she fought valiantly to not enjoy Scorpius' company. It was about twenty minutes in when she was sifting flour and laughing heartily at something he said about her Uncle Harry that the realisation dawned on her that Scorpius (when he wanted to be) could be friendly. Others would say charming; Rose would refuse this description.

Scorpius measured ingredients with a proficiency and hand that she had seen before in potions. Something he excelled at practically, without much consideration for the 20 inch essay on the compound uses of beetle eyes that normally came along with it. He began melting a whole block of butter in a saucepan, before striding off into the depths of the pantry. Rose continued to stir the butter on the stove, breathing in the savoury aroma deeply.

He came back out arms laden with a dozen carrots.

Tossing them haphazardly into a bowl, he began grating the first unfortunate vegetable vigorously, "The key ingredient!"

"Why all this butter then? I thought the mix was already finished?" Rose mused, having followed Scorpius' instructions up til now without question. Hesitancy had given way to acceptance exceptionally quickly.

"That, Red is for the butter icing!" He nudged his hip into hers enthusiastically. Rose jolted giggling, knocking over the bag of icing sugar so a cloud of the lightest powder covered both of them.

"Careful!"

"Sorry!"

"No, it's just -" he looked at her then, locking eyes for barely a moment longer than necessary. He drew his eyes away and coughed into his shoulder, rubbing icing sugar off his cheek as he did so. "We will need all of that. Your gran only had the one packet back there." Scorpius glanced over his shoulder briefly, eyes flitting from the pantry to the door out into the front garden.

Rose couldn't help herself, she spoke so suddenly she nearly choked on the air still coated with icing sugar, "you're forgetting Gamp's Law." She avoided his gaze pointedly, aware she sounded like a complete know it all. To her surprise Scorpius replied quite eloquently, seeming to ignore her potentially patronising comment.

"I think you'll find Miss Weasley that so long as you don't cover us with the whole bag we can replicate it; should we need more."

He continued to focus on grating the carrots, apparently sensing and evading her forthcoming question.

"Are you taking the mickey?" She asked, a little wary of how he might answer.

"Not at all."

Rose leant an elbow on the side next to him, gazing up at his face; him clearly trying not to laugh. His nonchalance was starting to irk her, like a familiar itch she continued to scratch.

"Why don't you try in lessons?" she demanded, suddenly.

The words tumbled out, as so many before them, before she even had a chance to stop them rolling off her tongue. Only this time she didn't regret it at all. She genuinely wanted to know this about him. She surprised herself, not intending to ever appear air-headed around Scorpius.

He stopped what he was doing, dropping the items into the bowl. He looked longingly out of the window, at something beyond the hedgerow. Instead of following his gaze she stared unwavering and questioning at the side of his face - sharp angled features in profile.

"Can't a man be mysterious these days?" His voice was vacant.

Rose rolled her eyes, going back to work. Scorpius Malfoy take anything seriously; that would be the day! "I don't know why you don't. You're clearly quite capable."

"Because I can bake a cake?"

"No." She exclaimed, "Because you are far more capable than pranks and cooking. You're so contrived it's absurd!" Rose huffed, folding her arms over her chest.

A flash of concern swept across his face, "you think I'm pretending to care less?"

"Aren't you?" She couldn't meet his eyes then. This was easily the most probing and intimate conversation they had ever had. Scorpius seemed as surprised as she did - her initially soft tone, his eyes wide behind the glass of his spectacles - aware that this sort of deep and meaningful conversation had never passed between them.

She held his gaze resolutely. After a while he began fidgeting under her stare, apparently slightly uncomfortable when the tables were turned and she was staring him down unabashed and questioning.

He wiped his hands on a tea towel before rubbing them under his eyes, suddenly looking weary. "Red, isn't it a little late for the lecture? We're in our final year when we go back."

"So?" She exclaimed petulantly, tapping her foot on the stone floor. "Imagine how well you could do academically if you just applied yourself? How much you could learn and evolve?"

Scorpius sighed plaintively, "Whatever gave you the impression that I wanted to?"

In a funny way, Rose wasn't entirely surprised. So much of Scorpius' character was based on spontaneity and charisma and positivity. Never had he once shown any need to be the brightest in the room or correct someone when they were wrong (on the exception of whenever anyone called him out on being a Malfoy who's friends with a Potter). He coasted through on charm and enough effort to reward him enough so he could retain the deceptive veil of "average".

"So…" she began, although pre-empting the answer immediately, "you don't want to have a good job or-"

"One day maybe. But I'm a wizard." He stated this as if she should know what he meant. Upon seeing Rose's blank look he waved his hand in acceptance of elaboration.

"My – our – life expectancy when I last checked is probably one hundred and seventeen, give or take a few years. That's also providing I don't take up smoking knotgrass anytime soon." Rose snorted lightly again.

"I plan on travelling. Maybe see a fraction of the world, maybe play in the local Quidditch League if they'll have me."

A small smile blossomed on Rose's face despite herself. Of course, the great plans of Scorpius Malfoy were just as humble as he was himself ( _still annoying when he wants to be_ , she reminded herself with less and less conviction).

"And if you need a proper wizarding job?" she teased, "you'll need to show you have N.E.W.T.s."

"See Red, to an extent this might be true. But our world, like the muggle world is still corrupt," he began greasing a baking tray, "maybe not in the same way it was twenty years ago but who you know is still important." He said the last sentence bitterly while using his fingers to messily rub butter around the edges of the tin. He drew in a long slow breath, his shoulders sagging.

"And sadly, my father still has enough connections to get me a low paid ministry position, even if I go off grid for a while."

She looked at him. Surprised that he spoke with such sullenness about his father, although she didn't doubt there would have been some people who gave him a hard time when he was first admitted to Hogwarts. She'd heard ripples of how the Malfoy's mostly kept to themselves, but money keeps you popular even if you're exiled through politics it would seem. Rose pulled another tray towards her.

"Education was never something I treasured. It was more a means to an end. You on the other hand-" he leaned down so their heads were level. Rose had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop from locking eyes with him, drawing their faces together. "- a passionate Ravenclaw; shoe in for Head Girl. Your love of knowledge and academics is part of your being. I see _you_ being a great success."

Scorpius crowding her personal space was making her head fuzzy. She sat down the tin, walking over to the fridge and retrieved a jug of lemonade. Any excuse to make some distance between them – her neck felt hot from his closeness. Sometimes, she wondered, if he manoeuvred that way around her on purpose. This thought forced out her reply, "so you're using your father's money and influence? Doesn't that feel…I don't know."

"I have my own savings. I won't have to use my father's money," he said this a little proudly but Rose thought nothing of it. "Might have to borrow his roof from time to time but the manor is so big he mightn't even notice."

Scorpius was back to concentrating on the tray in his hands. His brow furrowed as he worked efficiently with his hands. Not able to think of anything clever to say Rose merely hummed. Scorpius shot her a sideways glance over his shoulder as she grabbed the cake mixture and began pouring it into the tins.

They continued in palpable silence, each stewing on their own thoughts, including the conversation that had just transpired. Rose was beginning to admit that perhaps Scorpius had picked up on a few things about her, having spent lengthy periods in her vicinity over long British summers. One thing she remained careful of, was to acutely avoid any grazing of their limbs as they tidied and cleaned.

Scorpius frequently checked on the tins haphazardly stacked in the oven. Rose turned on the tap, adding soap to the metal sink, soaking a few of the utensils. Grabbing a cloth she began scrubbing.

"You're washing those pots by hand y'know?"

"I know."

A beat of understanding passed between them. A peaceful hum followed as the oven whirred alongside the melody of the birds and bees in the garden. The air was thick with wafts of a carrot cake smell spouting from the oven vent.

It took the two teenagers another hour to build the monstrosity that was to become their masterpiece. Three tiers of thick, dark chestnut coloured sponge layered with light lemon butter icing stood before them. Mrs Weasley had made a brief appearance, her wrinkled skin looking as a red a beetroot from being in the sun all day. She was profusely delighted with their creation as she beckoned Rose's Grandfather in to also take a look at their handiwork. Arthur Weasley had given the two teenagers a look somewhere between apprehension and surprise, considering they didn't exactly work together on a regular basis; this was to be expected. Rose's Grandparents made their excuses to pop up to their bedroom for a nap, leaving Scorpius to provide a rather lewd suggestion about what they might be up to. Rose whacking him round the head with a tea towel shut him up about it.

"So…" said Rose, tearing her eyes away from where her Grandparents had disappeared up the stairs.

"Sooooooooooo?" repeated Scorpius in a singsong voice. He was clearly having far too good a time.

"Are we adding this other tier or what?"

"That's for us," said Scorpius, grabbing a plate and smearing a generous helping of the icing over the sponge cake before him. Slicing it into six huge pieces.

Rose had a moment of realisation, "I just thought-"

"Careful now."

Rose shot him a withering look, "this cake will never feed my family!" she gestured at the three-tiered cake, that might have fed a small office party, but certainly not a Weasley get-together.

Scorpius shrugged, taking a huge bite out of the slice he'd been goggling at, "Your Grandmutrhe can enlarge eits!" He exclaimed trying to keep his almost overflowing mouth closed as he continued to chew.

"Then what was the point in making it in the first place?" Rose burst out, eying her own enormous slice with unease.

Scorpius made a show of swallowing before looking at her square in the face.

"It was fun."

For a moment, Rose looked at him blankly. She took in the sunlight transforming his hair to molten brass, his spectacles on the end of his nose spotted with flour and a squirming began in the pit of her stomach. His positively charming appearance in those muggle clothes, combined with the jaunty smile he was giving her almost made her head spin. _What is going on?_ She thought, unable to tear her eyes away. Her mind had gone completely blank and she wasn't sure why. The shared silence charged with static. In sheer panic, Rose took a huge bite of the cake in her hand. Possibly too big a bite as she had to stick out her tongue to lick her lips free of icing. Without meaning to sound so impressed, she moaned lightly at the utter deliciousness of the cake, distracted (and impressed) by their work under Scorpius' instruction. Closing her eyes in enjoyment she took another bite hastily.

As usual she could feel Scorpius' eyes on her. She opened one of her own to observe him - as she'd expected - he was staring at her. Only he didn't have a small smile like he'd had a moment before. Instead his lips were parted slightly, his eyes looked almost glazed over as he watched her. He looked about three sheets to the wind. He swallowed, shaking his head, coughing.

"Good cake, eh?" he said hoarsely.

"Mmmmm," was all Rose could manage without spraying a mouthful of crumbs all over him.

Scorpius eyes suddenly lit up in surprise, "hold on, I've got something upstairs I need to grab. Could you put the cake in the pantry? I'll be right back." With that he bounded off up the stairs and out of sight, his footfall suggesting he was taking the stairs two at a time until they grew faint as he reached the third floor and continued to climb. Albus' room at The Burrow during the summer was her father's old room at the top of the house.

Rose busied herself by stacking the cake in the chilliest corner of the pantry, casting a simple anti-aging charm it.

The sound of the front door being flung open caused her to jolt, the sound of bodies flooding through the front door heard from where she stood deep in the pantry, jostling one another around the furniture.

"Albus, do _not_ put your feet on the furniture!"

"They're new shoes mum, I've not even worn them in! Lily get off me!"

"So good to see you Harry, dear. Long trip was it?"

"Mum, I need something out of that bag?"

"Can you not use your arms Lily, you do have two of them."

"You would do it for James."

"Lily, don't talk to your mother like that."

Rose couldn't help the smile blossoming on her face as she stepped out to witness the wildness and chaos that was the Potters.

"ROSIE!" Lily threw herself at the older girl, her arms squeezing her around the middle.

"Hi Lil, good holiday?"

"Oh it was brilliant!" Lily said, her voice muffled against Rose's shoulder. As Lily drew away Rose saw the bright glossy look in her eyes as she lowered her voice excitedly, "I met the most wonderful boy!" Rose fought not to roll her eyes at her cousin's foolishness.

"Yeah, really bloody wonderful chap. Wanting to take a fifteen-year-old on his muggle motorbike," said Albus morosely from his position lounged out on one of the sofas languidly. Albus waved a lazy hand in Rose's general direction without sitting up.

The sounds off tread down the stairs arrested Albus' aloofness, as he sat up watching the stairs expectantly. As Scorpius appeared the other boy flung himself at him, embracing him like a long-lost brother.

"Whoa, mate! Try not to strangle me!" Scorpius eyed Rose over Albus' shoulder panicked his eyes flickering towards the spot on the counter top where the cake had sat only moments before. She smiled genuinely at him, shrugging and he beamed at her. He tried to prize himself away from Albus' vice like grip.

Albus grasped Scorpius' upper arms as he pulled away gentle shaking him, "I think I nearly went mad this summer, mate."

"I can tell," said Scorpius without missing a beat.

Albus ignored him, "C'mon, I've got some Quidditch stuff I wanted to show you I got last month."

"Hello Scorpius," greeted her Uncle, extending a hand out to Scorpius who was being dragged away by Albus with the other.

"Good afternoon, Mr Potter. I trust you had a great summer…" but before Scorpius could promote any more courtesy to his best friend's father, he was man handled up the stairs by an almost manic looking Albus. His apologies drowned out by the influx of greetings and questions of Mr and Mrs Weasley following their daughter into the kitchen.

Beside her Lily wrinkled her nose, "I just don't get those two."

Rose took a moment of peace in Lily's statement. Mulling it over before the rest of the family descended or she was questioned about her inability to carry Lily's conversation forward. Rose contemplated for a moment explaining to Lily how she had just spent her afternoon with Scorpius Malfoy and how it hadn't been torturous at all. On the contrary, it had been exceptionally enjoyable. She remained stood beside Lily, staring at the spot the two boys had disappeared wondering if Scorpius knew her better than Albus did these days.

* * *

The party had been raucous. The whole family crushed onto a huge table in the garden, weighed down by plates and plates of food. Her mother had drank too much port too early on in the afternoon and had to go for a lie down, her father and uncle George had proceeded to drink the rest of it and danced on chairs to the Cornish Pixies on and off until the early hours of the morning. Somehow someone had set off some enchanted fireworks from the W.W.W. family shop without burning down the Burrow or setting fire to themselves.

Rose had been having a rather pleasant conversation with the Scamander twins when they'd taken a bite in unison of some odd looking quiche and their hair proceeded to turn a violent shade of green, along with a rapid growth in their nose hair; it made them impossible to tell apart. Scorpius and Albus, the most likely culprits, had fallen about laughing while clutching individual bottles of elderberry wine. The tortured looks on the Scamander's faces had earned both Scorpius and Albus high fives from her Uncle George and to Rose's utter shock a pat on the back from her father. Although the conversation had been waning, Rose remained perturbed by the interruption. She didn't however attempt to help the twins as they struggled under the growing weight of their nose hair as they pushed their way into the house to find an antidote. Or an adult that might have taken their predicament a bit more seriously.

The moment that shortly proceeded turned out to be Rose's highlight of the evening. As dusk fell around them and jars containing live fairies lit up the garden, Mrs Weasley had called them all back around the table for Albus to cut his birthday cake. At some point, someone had indeed enlarged the cake like Scorpius had suggested so it was four times the size that he and Rose had constructed. It remained identical in design accept for the addition of seventeen bright blue candles arranged on the topmost iced layer.

As the candles were lit, Rose's gaze instinctively found Scorpius' and she wasn't at all surprised to see him already watching her his mouth upturned in a half smile. She returned her own valiantly having drank almost a bottle of elderberry wine between then and the Scamander's misfortune. Instead of feeling chilly in the evening summer breeze she felt blanketed by a warming layer of fuzziness she always associated with alcohol. Rose made a point of giving him a small thumbs up to which he responded with a mock bow behind Albus' back.

Having blown out his candles, Albus proceeded to inhale his portion, slapping his friend on the back in gratitude. Rose would have seen this if she hadn't been whisked away by her inebriated father to check on her mother. She knew that Albus would never have believed them if they'd said they had made it together anyway. But why, in that moment, she wasn't entirely sure.

* * *

A week passed before Rose visited the Burrow again. She arrived one humid, overcast day around breakfast time. Greeted with a disgruntled looking Mr Weasley who said a hurried goodbye before bustling past her and down the garden path.

"Morning dear!" cried Mrs Weasley, charming what looked like two dozen eggs to whisk themselves in a mixing bowl. "Would you like any breakfast, Rosie?"

"Morning! I'm ok thanks, had something before I left." Rose sat herself at the kitchen table and instead poured herself some juice from a brass jug.

"Hmmmm," mused Mrs Weasley, coming to comb Rose's hair away from her eyes affectionately, looking into them curiously.

"I hope your mum has time to feed you both with her new job," frowned Mrs Weasley, tucking a lock of hair behind Rose's ear. She flushed at the affectionate gesture, feeling much younger than she actually was.

"Of course she does. And I can look after myself you know Nan!" said Rose, trying to bite down on her petulant tone.

"Well of course, dear. I just worry. I'm entitled to that now aren't I?" Mrs Weasley smiled good naturedly down at her granddaughter while behind her rashers of bacon dove into a frying pan of their own accord.

"Where is everyone?"

"Oh you know, teenage boys tend to sleep the days away half the time! It wasn't like that when I was a child," said Mrs Weasley, although her judgemental toned seemed forced.

Rose felt a twist of anxiety, she thought Molly or at least Lily would be there.

"This could well do it." As she said it, Mrs Weasley opened the door leading up the slanted staircase, allowing the scent of cooked breakfast to waft to the floors above. Officially feeling slightly outnumbered, Rose considered making an excuse to leave. It wasn't likely she would be easily welcomed in whatever plans Albus and Scorpius might have together if Scorpius was indeed still staying. She had also been looking forward to taking a day away from the academic books in favour of a dip in the pond or a walk around Ottery St Catchpole – to maybe even have a drink in the village pub. Rose had spent many of the days at home going over notes from fifth and sixth year and reading ahead to try to grasp the new material early. Rose did indeed love being studious, but even the most devoted bookworms needed to let their hair down.

The usual muffled footfalls began four floors above as the kettle began to whistle shrilly. Rose's attention however was on the kitchen window, through which a large Balsas screech owl was soaring towards the window carrying a stack of letters tied together to one of it's legs. She recognised it as one of the Hogwarts correspondence birds – a more regal bird than most student bought varieties – clearly bringing with it their book lists. Rose scurried eagerly to the window, pushing it further open. The owl soared in, it's wings wide enough to cause her hair to swirl around her face in it's wake. It landed with a considerable thud on the kitchen table before it began hopping around; one leg still attached to the string holding the letters together.

Mrs Weasley muttered a severing charm, while holding out a single rasher for the bird on the end of a large fork. It swept across the room, grabbing the meat in it's beak before vanishing out of the window just as Albus and Scorpius bounded into the kitchen. They were shortly followed by Rose's brother and a hungover looking Fred and James.

"Morning!" The rabble mumbled in various states of lethargy.

Rose, who had been hovering beside the pile of letters shuffled through them, all the while knowing hers would be on the bottom. The ceremony of this action wasn't lost on James who snatched the pile out of Rose's hand and began announcing to the room the letters recipients.

"The delightful chap, Lord Scorpius Malfoy!" Scorpius took the envelope with a quiet grunt as he poured himself a glass of juice.

Hugo shuffled groggily to sit beside her, "morning sis. Didn't know you were coming."

"I wasn't originally, I just fancied a trip away from the books," she shrugged as coolly as she could but she felt a few pairs of eyes on her. James, it appeared had not noticed the mildly out of character statement.

"Master Albus Potter-"

"That's Mister now, Jimmy. I'm of age remember?"

"Correction then! _Mister_ Albus Potter," he flourished the letter in front of Albus' face.

"Jimmy, do you seriously have to announce that so loud?" groaned Fred, his head held delicately in his hands.

"Ceremonial isn't it Freddie? Last chance I'll get to mock these whippers for being ickle students!"

Rose raised an eyebrow, "James, you literally graduated two months ago. I don't think-"

"Aha!" He pointed at the envelope in her hand, causing Rose to clutch the letter closer to her chest as an instinctive form of protection. "There is a _bulge_ in that envelope!"

Her brother sniggered, while Fred let out a snort towards the table's surface. Both Albus and Scorpius had stopped dead. Scorpius with a glass of juice to his lips and Albus having just unfurled his book list, now slack in his hand.

Rose flushed furiously, turning over the envelope to witness the badge shaped welt under the parchment. The bottom dropped out of her stomach at the sight of it.

"Well open it then!" cried James. "NAN! ROSIE'S GOT HEAD GIRL!"

"Jimmy, mate. Seriously. Tone it down would you?" begged Fred. James ignored him.

Mrs Weasley appeared as if out of thin air beside her brother's chair looking harassed with bright eyes.

Rose bit her lip, "you don't know that James," she said timidly, despite herself. Her heartrate was through the roof and her back was hot against her light summer jacket. She shifted it off her shoulders onto the back of her chair. This didn't help as much as she'd hoped.

"Oh for goodness sake, open it dear!" Her gran coaxed, eyes turning beady like a magpie spotting something shiny.

Tentatively, with the whole room watching her, Rose opened the envelope, inverting it to let the metal shield fall onto her sweaty hand. The intimidating letters _H.G._ shone brightly against a sapphire background.

"Oh," Rose breathed, all the air leaving her lungs. A hand whacked her back causing her to lurch over the table.

"Congrats sis! You'll want to write to mum and dad. You know they'll be upset if they hear this news from someone else!" Hugo, who towered over her just like her father patted her on the back again with awakened vigour.

Mrs Weasley pulled her into a bone crushing hug, "well done dear, you should be proud."

"Yeah," said Rose distantly. She stared down at the badge in her hand, blinking as if trying to wake up from a dream.

Albus slowly rose from his seat to manoeuvre around the table. He gingerly took the badge out of her hand to inspect it more closely.

"Yeah. Figures. Well done, Rose. Go easy on us this year then won't you," said Albus offering her a crooked grin and a brief one-armed hug once Mrs Weasley had relinquished her grip. As Albus made his way back around the table she caught Scorpius' eye. If she hadn't half expected it she might have missed the minute wink he gave her, mouthing _I bloody knew it_ , a knowing smirk playing around his mouth. The squirming in the pit of her stomach then was definitely from dread and anticipation.

She glanced away from his stare again. Returning her attention to the badge in her hand, she turned it over a few times noticing the bent pin at the back; no doubt wear and tear from it's previous owners. Rose wasn't entirely sure why it felt so out of place. She knew she was a good student, yes. But did she excel in everything? Get extra credit in all her assignments and subjects? No. No she didn't. Yes her academics were her strong suit, along with a penchant for the rules but did that make her Head Girl material?

Being a Head Girl meant you showed strength and determination. It showed you could think on your feet. It meant she could provide a face for populism, should adhere to the rules strictly herself while being a beacon of good reputation in the eyes of the rest of the school and staff.

She honestly hadn't even considered the possibility of being given the Head Girl position. If she had, she would have spent the summer planning and note taking. Ideas for what she could do to contribute to the school as a whole and what sort of legacy (if any) she wanted to leave behind.

After sometime, as the boys were tucking into their breakfast she said faintly, "there must have been a mistake."

From across the table she saw Albus make an exaggerated eye roll.

"Don't be so modest Rose. It can get annoying you know." He said this with such conviction that it appeared to be the end of the matter. Both James and Fred nodded in agreement; their mouths too full to speak.

"Let's be honest," Albus began, giving her a meaningful look, "you'll make a great Head Girl. Now stop being dense and tell your parents the good news. It can't be that pleasant watching five teenage boys eat breakfast."

By lunchtime, Rose was more settled with the idea.

 _Head Girl._

Perhaps she had been groomed for it in her extra Alchemy classes with Slughorn or the tutoring McGonagall had asked of her for the last three years. If there was one thing she had inherited from her mother, it was constant deliberation. So, Rose being her mother's daughter had written a quick note to both her parents later that morning and had begun planning for her future year ahead soon after. With the added consideration of her newly found responsibility. It rested like a lead weight on her shoulders but a part of her was beginning to feel she could accomplish great things. It was a miracle what a few mugs of tea, a few rolls of parchment and a well-timed wink could instil within a person. From her initial insecurities, Rose had turned rational in pursuit of excelling in her newly appointed role.

She had not been expecting a letter from the Head Boy so soon after her own letter had arrived. The boys had ventured into the village to bask in their fading freedom, so there was no one to witness the second, non-family owl flutter in through the kitchen window.

The bird nipped at her irritably. She gave it a treat from a box beneath the sink and unfurled the small scroll.

 _Hi Rose,_

 _Someone told me you got Head Girl. Snap. Well, almost. I was given Head Boy! I wondered if you would be able to meet for a chat in Diagon Alley this week, maybe?_

 _Send a reply with Ventus if you can._

 _Best,_

 _Elliot_

It took everything out of Rose not to crumple the letter in frustration. Just as she was getting accustomed to the idea of being Head Girl, a Hufflepuff bloke shaped spanner had to get stuck in the works.

* * *

That Rose was feeling apprehensive was an understatement. As she sat outside Florean's she fiddled with the label on her pink lemonade, tracing the condensation droplets with her finger. Relishing the ice-cold liquid against her fingertips.

She wasn't entirely sure why she had agreed to come. It had been a polite request, she reasoned and not a demand from her soon to be fellow Head. That had merit in itself. At least he didn't think she owed him anything. Certainly, if he had she would have replied with an aptly sent Howler.

Her heart was racing. But not for the reasons it might when a young woman meets up with a bloke she's had a previous sexual encounter with. Not one that is handsome and quite evidently smart; a great catch in another universe. She certainly hadn't bargained on Elliot Rhodes becoming Head Boy. There were at least two alternative candidates that came to mind. Although, perhaps some indiscretions had past that Rose hadn't been made privy to. _It certainly wouldn't be the first time_ , she thought to herself.

A figure loomed over her table blocking the dazzling sunshine that was pouring over the terraces of Diagon Alley. Squinting against the glare, Elliot Rhodes came into focus. When she caught his eye, he looked away awkwardly.

"Hi." He said, grasping the top of the chair opposite her.

"Hi," she returned not unkindly.

He seemed to be extremely interested in something over Rose's right shoulder, she recognised his hesitance. It wasn't unwelcome, although her patience was already tested with him being late to a meeting that he wanted to arrange.

"Can I sit down?"

"I don't know. Ma-" she stopped herself short. Her mouth becoming dry as she saw a cheeky grin and tawny hair flash in her mind.

Shaking her head to compose herself, "sorry, yes. Please do sit down."

Taking out the chair, he sat across from her. As he grabbed the nearest menu, Rose took his moment of distraction to observe his features more closely.

His skin was tanned, most probably from having taken a trip abroad over the summer already. A plain mauve shirt accentuated the tan considerably and Rose wondered (if only for a moment) whether this had been done on purpose. The boy closed the menu with a snap and beckoned the nearest waitress. Rose bristled a little at his treatment of the staff, but the girl bounded over to their table expectantly, pad of paper and pencil poised instantly.

"Yes sir, madame." The young girl nodded to each of them in turn. "What can I get you?"

Elliot grinned, "mint choc-chip for me, and you Rose?"

"Erm...honeycomb. Single scoop, please."

The girl nodded, her pencil skittering along the paper, "and drinks?"

Rose shook her head.

"Whatever the ladie's got looks lovely."

"Another pink lemonade. Great! I'll be back shortly with your order." And as eagerly as she'd arrived, she was gone. Disappearing into the shop.

Stealing another look at the guy opposite her, Rose noticed he was _still_ avoiding her gaze.

"How was your summer?" Rose asked, breaking the silence.

"Oh, it was very good actually. Went to Morocco with the family, visited elderly relatives, you know how it is," he smiled a little. She waited for the assumed question "how about yours?" but it never came. Biting her lip, a sudden surge to leave enveloped her that she would have succumbed to had she not already ordered some ice cream.

"Congratulations on getting Head Boy," she said, genuinely trying to make small talk. At her words his demeanour suddenly flipped. He sat up straight in his chair, puffed out his chest like a proud Hippogriff and a mildly smug look appeared on his face. Rose could almost feel his new wave of confidence emanating off him. She tried to convince herself it was pride. Then again, she hadn't found her ego ballooning with the responsibility thrust upon her. Whether it was also a sort after privilege or not.

"Well I hadn't really expected it," he ran a hand through his hair, throwing his head back, "but the family is over the moon." She pursed her lips at his obvious drop of the pronoun.

"I mean it's great..." He corrected, catching Rose's mildly sour expression at his arrogance guise.

"...Obviously you were the only female candidate!" Rose was unsure whether he was trying to be flattering or not. But the more he spoke the more she bristled and she had no concrete idea why. She reasoned that in this instance, it could have been the implication that there were no other intelligent females in the whole of Hogwarts. Or perhaps she was woefully embarrassed that she'd shagged the first good looking guy she laid her hands on; loathe would she admit that.

Rose was grateful in that moment the waitress swanned over, a tray hovering at her shoulder. It was a welcome distraction to move from under Elliot's gaze.

"Honeycomb for you, miss. And choc-chip for the gentleman," she said, placing the ice-creams, spoons and additional drink on the gingham cloth. She gave them a winning smile before disappearing for the second time into the shop.

Rose took a small spoonful of the ice-cream - realising, her spoon mid mouth- that it was her turn in the conversation.

"I appreciate that," addressing his comment about her apparently unrivalled promotion, "Although, there were others - a few from Hufflepuff - in fact that I would have suggested myself," she said, absently rounding a ball of ice-cream with her spoon before eating it whole. The cold, dairy treat tasted heavenly. Not only because of the sweet honeycomb but the chilled dessert was utterly refreshing in the stifling summer air.

Elliot merely nodded, a little subdued, across the table from her, "I suppose so." Rose got the impression he might have finally clicked that her attitude matched their ice cream.

His expression was becoming forlorn which was almost enough to cause the inevitable. Melting her cold facade much like the ice cream had already begun doing under the hot sun. Rose sighed. How would anyone take her seriously if her attitude slipped this easily?

"Would you like to try some?" She asked, generously throwing him a half-cocked smile.

"Erm...yeah go on then." He reached over with his spoon and took a semi-generous helping.

"Mmmmhgh, not bad!" Pushing his bowl towards her she shook her head.

"Not a fan I'm afraid," said Rose, sliding the bowl back towards him.

Elliot swallowed guiltily.

They ate in awkward silence for a few minutes. The spoons scratching on the edge of their near empty bowls, a reminder to Rose that she was usually better at small talk than this. Elliot certainly seemed to have lost his conversational momentum. She had an inkling of what he might have invited her here for, and she wasn't at all sure what she would make of it if or whenever he managed to say it.

She blamed her mood on the stickiness of her skin against her shirt, and the fact she forgot to bring her sunglasses on such a bright day. Perhaps the boy deserved a little more chance than that. One of the things she was certain of about him was his aptitude for Herbology and Charms. Dwelling on his scholarly perks was just enough to return her attention to his face and not the musty blonde streaks in his hair.

Throwing caution to the non-existent wind she broke the silence, sitting down her spoon. "So was there a real reason you invited me here before term started?"

Elliot's eyes grew for a moment in surprise. Her sharp perception getting the better of him. He bit down on his thumb nail.

"I actually erm...wanted to invite you out. I mean...," Rose looked on patiently for him to continue.

"I mean, after our..."

 _For the love of Merlin, don't say it out loud._

"...run in. What with us being chosen co-Heads. I thought maybe we could see if it would work. Us together I mean." He finished lamely, the hesitant smile he was giving her made something twist uncomfortably in her gut.

Looking at him then, really looking at him, only a beat went by that she had time to dissect his features again. Trying to scrutinise more thoroughly his appearance and intentions.

A strong (but not pointed) jaw, covered in the fuzzy stubble you would associate with the blurred line between boyhood and man. Pale blue eyes, in contrast to his tanned skin. Toned arms from playing Quidditch were held tightly in his tshirt and a chipped front tooth all gave way to one thing. The guy was indeed handsome. There were no two ways about it. Who was Rose to turn down such an offer of a pleasant enough guy and see where it went? Maybe he did fit the clique Hufflepuff; borderline naive with seemingly good intentions. Was that something she couldn't see past? Of course not. It would also make her a hypocrite for she fitted the stereotype of Ravenclaw house rather soundly.

"So, you would like us to date?" She asked, addressing the point head-on.

"Yeah, sure! I mean, we know certain things work between us, right?" He chuckled and Rose wanted the ground to swallow her whole. He nudged her across the table in a gesture she recognised as playful. Her instinct provided a watery smile as her brain imploded. Before she could internally talk herself out of it, she let her mouth run off as usual.

"Yeah, sure. I guess."

The rest of the afternoon passed more amicably than Rose foresaw. They hit common ground in Flourish & Blotts, comparing tombs they'd read over holidays or in the dead of night. They spoke of their common rooms of which the other had never entered. They discussed Head duties and what might be expected of them. As they stepped out of the Apothecary, Elliot had taken Rose's hand, squeezing it gently with a reassuring smile down at her and held onto it for the remainder of the afternoon.

Neither of them mentioned their previous run in. It wasn't that Rose found it awful to dwell on. Just it was so out of character for her, she hoped he wouldn't want to jump in straight where they left off. The idea of actually remembering something as pleasurable as sex crossed her mind a time or two as she caught him shooting her seemingly covert glances. Another encounter did sound like it would provide countless merits.

When they decided to call it a day, he walked her through The Leaky Cauldron to a side street, commonly used as a secluded apparition spot.

"This was really nice, Elliot."

"It was. We should meet up again soon. Maybe the weekend?"

"I'm not sure; I'll check. And, I'll owl you," she said awkwardly.

Still holding her hand, Elliot took a step towards her, lowering his head as he did so to place a chaste kiss on her lips. Rose anticipated a writhe deep in her gut as he applied a little more pressure before taking a polite step back, separating them. But the writhe or squirm or twist never came. She was surprised that such an intimate action didn't rile something in her. She put it off as being tired from a day wandering aimlessly around Diagon Alley.

"I'll speak to you soon, Rose." He said, giving her one last smile before turning on the spot and vanishing with a _pop_. She stood for a moment considering whether to continue walking around the streets of London for a while but thought better of it.

It turned out that this summer had become increasingly more unexpected as the days had worn on.

* * *

 **Whoa. This chapter got waaaay ahead of itself. This was intended to be some snippets of Rose's life the summer before 7th year but turned into something a lot more than that. Considering how busy I am at the moment with life generally, I am impressed with myself I got this out now. I'm not asking you readers to be impressed (far from it), I just hope you enjoy it.**

 **Please let me know. I don't even care if it's by a howler.**


	4. Chapter 4

**This chapter is dedicated to maripaz6 who is always so kind to review my updates AND I'm pretty sure has reviewed almost every chapter of the stories I've written. It's rather generous, so I wanted to give something back.**

 **Disclaimer: JKR owns, I'm just trying it on for size.**

* * *

 **Monday**

"Hullo."

Rose looked up from her school work to see a bespectacled Scorpius Malfoy staring down at her. His shirt untucked and tie loose; his scruffy appearance looked almost foreign. He was also wearing a very cautious expression, something that looked just as peculiar as his attire. Rose immediately regretted sitting somewhere in the library she could be found so easily. (She also regretted not looking in a mirror that morning).

"Hi."

Scorpius began stepping from foot to foot, oozing awkwardness to a point that Rose could have found it laughable. Although she didn't laugh. She waited patiently, flicking her quill between the fingers of her writing hand.

She hadn't expected to see him. Or at least, other than their evasive eye contact during Arithmancy that morning she hadn't expected to see him. She managed to square her shoulders and tilt her head in question.

Rose felt no need to explain herself further to Scorpius Malfoy. Both him and Albus had caused her to re think quite a few things about the way she had lived her life recently. Some of those truths made her feel rather uncomfortable and she certainly didn't want to talk about them any more than she already had. It would be like flogging a dead hippogriff.

Her treatment of Elliot and how Albus and Scorpius had referred to it made her overly conscious that she had, quite possibly, besmirched her position as Head Girl. In their eyes at first and now her own. And if Chambers knew, who else did? She still felt overwhelmed beneath the surface, but something that was still constant was her position within the school. So, she couldn't let anyone see her crumble. She wouldn't allow it. Having taken the Head Girl position head on, she wasn't about to give it up so easily. There had to be a way around it.

"Can I sit down?"

"Can you?" Rose asked without thinking, she blinked mortified by her own mouth, speaking to Scorpius as if nothing had changed. She would be lying to herself if she believed that. He blinked back, the corner of his mouth twitching.

" _May_ I sit down?" He corrected, his eyes now twinkling slightly; a much more familiar sight. She sighed and nodded, unsure how else to proceed other than packing up and running away. Unfortunately for Rose, she had brought too many books of her own to make a quick getaway from the library possible.

He pulled out a chair in front of her, turning the closest book so he could read the cover, " _A Perfect Guide to Advanced Alchemy: Deviously Difficult Draughts._ Whoa, Red. Is this anywhere near the reading list?" She could tell he was trying to make small talk. She wasn't in the mood for it today. Putting on a brave face did nothing to hide the humiliation and guilt clawing at her insides.

"What do you want, Malfoy? I'm trying to work here," she said tiredly, clasping the book out of his hands.

He sat watching her silently.

Of course, he was staring again. She felt the mildest of flutters in the pit of her stomach. She shuffled in her seat a little in the hope it would subside and she wouldn't have to dwell on what it might mean.

Finally, breaking her gaze he lifted his glasses from his face and began rubbing each lens in turn on his jumper, "Albus is rather angry at me." When he returned his glasses the sunlight seemed to glare off them causing Rose to squint. Scorpius must have noticed as he reclined in his seat out of the sun's rays, giving him a more relaxed appearance canny to his usual self.

"You and me both." She shuffled some parchment around in front of her again, in need of something to do with her hands. "Why is he angry at you?" she asked, although she was pretty sure she already knew the answer.

"You found something out he didn't want you to know." His voice was silvery.

 _Why didn't he want you to know?_ Rose found herself thinking. A lingering sensation that had started to accompany all thoughts of Albus since their argument was becoming more and more familiar. She wasn't entirely sure _what_ it was, or what had prompted it. Along with Albus' rather sizeable indiscretion, she felt there was something that didn't quite add up. Her own choices were no doubt over shadowing something in the bigger picture she wasn't currently able to see. It couldn't possibly all just boil down to their broom cupboard scheme.

Settling into their conversationally vague routine, Rose rolled her eyes, "That's a bit cryptic." Unlike him, she spoke softly, unable to meet his gaze. She thought it would have been much nicer if today of all days, he might not beat around the bush so much.

"Well to be honest Red, you made a correct assumption based upon very little and now I'm paying the price," he supplied flatly. "I shouldn't have taken that Ravenclaw logic for granted." _So, he is admitting it._ When Rose remained in contemplative silence, he began fixing the tie around his neck properly with long, slender fingers. This seemed to trigger something in her mind, as a mental image of a young woman with rusty coloured hair was pushed flush against a wall by a blond headed man swam behind her eyes, accompanied by a ghostly graze that felt like fingertips beneath her shirt. She shivered involuntarily, tensing at the scene she had unwittingly envisaged.

"You cold?" asked Scorpius, sounding concerned, a dirty blond eyebrow rose above the dark frame of his glasses.

Rose shook her head, a warm blush flooding her cheeks. _Where the hell did that thought come from?_

"My correct assumption…" she spoke meditatively; almost to herself than to Scorpius. He looked at her vacantly, as if expecting her to elaborate again. Everything considered, Rose knew she wasn't being very overt with her side of the conversation either. She was already planning to add "massive hypocrite" to her Curriculum Vitae, now "evasive in socially adverse situations" might also be an accurate addition.

"Why is he angry at you for it, though?" She didn't want to freely admit that the boy in front of her apparently fancied her, she instead did what she thought was the best way of avoiding having to directly discuss it. Especially after what her mind had just conjured. However, something failed on the delivery and her voice took on a headier tone.

Scorpius seemed to ponder this for a moment, tapping his chin, "I think Albus doesn't like the idea of … blurring the lines."

When Rose looked even more perplexed, he continued. "I think Al likes having you as his cousin and me as his friend. For six years he's had the best of both worlds because I agreed never to tell you."

"Wait…how long?...I mean…" Rose blushed a darker crimson, the skin of her face heating in another wave of embarrassment.

An unmistakable smirk graced Scorpius' face. It distorted his features in such a way that was striking. Rose felt her stomach tighten again as he regarded her over his glasses. He was _too_ fucking good looking.

"You seem awfully interested in hearing the details of my attraction-"

"What?! No!" Rose now immediately regretted her wish that he would be more explicit.

"Ah, that's a pity. I could go into detail if you wish." He paused for effect, raking his eyes brazenly over her flushed skin. "A while. I've fancied you for a while, Red. Will that feed your curiosity enough?"

"I wasn't asking you about that," she snapped. She began pulling her belongings towards her. It might have been the end of a Scottish February but the library felt more like the Mediterranean for all Rose knew. She was feeling hot and bothered by this sort of talk in the library on a Monday evening. She might have found it flattering, if it didn't already feel intimate in the way Malfoy was talking to her. He seemed more relaxed now his truth was out in the open, even though she had given him no reason to think she reciprocated his feelings in any way. He was acting with just as much confidence and essence of bravado as usual. And yet she wasn't thinking about that. She was thinking about how easily his glasses could get steamed up in a cramped broom cupboard. That thought itself both confused and frustrated her. Enough to warrant her swift exit from the library.

This new state of utter ambivalence towards Scorpius was a little too much. His smug look vanished as he realised she had every intention of leaving him sat there alone.

"Look, Red. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I've got nothing left to hide. Think I was getting a little carried away."

Something tugged in her throat. How could he be joking around one minute then apologetic the next? Suddenly the realisation hit her like a slap in the face; that was exactly how Scorpius was. Or that's how he always was around her. She swallowed. Unable to look at him, her thoughts flitted back to him lashing out at her about Elliot. Suggesting that was something she should be ashamed of. He remained sat before her, more sombre, but wide eyed and hopeful looking. She had stopped half risen from her chair but sank back into it, crossing her arms over her chest. She looked out of the high windows to avoid looking directly at him.

"You lashing out at me was a little out of character. I don't think you'd ever spoken to me like that before."

"That's what gave it away?" Scorpius asked, curiously. Rose shrugged, relaxing a little, the whole thing just seemed so…odd.

"You were actually much nicer to me than Albus."

"You know how he gets."

"Eugh, it's still not nice," she scrunched up her face with distaste.

"He thinks he can get away with it because you're family." Scorpius said bluntly. Rose shot him a withering look, but it had less of it's usual punch.

Scorpius reclined, his hands behind his head, hair swept away from his face by the glasses that now sat like a crown on top of his head. "It could well have something to do with him having issues about living in his family's shadow," said Scorpius almost wistfully. He cracked his knuckles behind his head, letting out a satisfied sigh.

"I always knew you were smart, Malfoy. I didn't know you were insightful." It wasn't an insult, it was a statement. One that was complimentary on numerous levels to Scorpius and it paved the way for Rose to say what she really wanted to. Something that itched at her, irritating in so that she couldn't put her finger on why.

"When did you become nicer than Albus? I mean he basically said he didn't trust me because I wanted to be Head Girl. I thought it was a bit far reaching as an excuse."

"And I only insulted you out of jealousy. Is that really better?"

"Of course not. Generally though, you are nicer to me than Albus. When you're not infuriating or annoying or pranking me or cutting my hair in Herbology-"

"That wasn't me, Red I swear, at least it wasn't intended to cut your hair-"

" _When_ ," she spoke over him then, struggling to raise her voice to dominate the conversation without yelling, "did you become nicer?"

"You're really upset about Albus aren't you?" he asked, leaning over the table. Rose nodded. All those temporarily buried insecurities flooding back. Scorpius' eyes bored into her own. He looked like he was taking a moment to wage an internal struggle of whether to be honest (and potentially damning) about his friend by telling the truth or deciding to avoid an answer that might further frustrate her. Rose appreciated the struggle, but right now, all she wanted was the truth.

"When it all started to gain traction, we knew in the long run it would leave a sort of legacy. Even if it was a bit seedy compared to Quidditch Captain and Head Boy, James Potter. Let's be honest, Albus was always going to be outdone by him with those sorts of credentials. So, my instinct tells me that Al would be mighty upset if the one thing he had achieved outside of academics was taken away. And by his cousin, no less."

Rose sighed, resigned to an unavoidable conclusion, "but I'm Head Girl, I can't _not_ tell McGonagall!" she said in a hushed voice, taking a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure they were still alone. "Also, is the Quidditch team not enough of an achievement these days?"

Scorpius chuckled, "I guess not."

Rose began to absently fiddle with the spine of the book closest to her. The fabric cover fraying more as she twisted it.

"Self-preservation."

"Huh?" replied Rose, now tugging keenly at the strands of fabric between her fingers.

"Arguably one of the more Slytherin of character traits that Albus possesses."

"Yes," she said, trying to cotton on to where he was taking the conversation.

"It makes perfect sense that the biggest thing that Al has – to Al himself at least – to show for his Hogwarts career, could cause him to be agitated about losing it. Self-preservation, right? Not living off his famous parents. I guess that's why we bonded early on. You remember how James was when Al first got into Slytherin?"

Rose struggled not to cringe when remembering back to the first few months of their time at Hogwarts, "eugh, I should have sent a letter home sooner. He was an utter shit to Albus."

"I guess what I'm trying to say is, the whole thing just means a lot to him. Naturally he is going to want to protect it. Although, I don't think he went the right way about it getting angry at his cousin …. and the Head Girl," Malfoy gave a mock bow before leaning back in his chair so only the two back legs touched the flagstone floor.

"I was about to ask you when you got so mature as well, and then you started leaning back in your chair like a second year." Rose couldn't help but give him a satisfied smile as he brought the front two chair legs down, readjusting to sit up straighter in the chair.

"I believe my new maturity was found somewhere between you finding out about our escapades and Al and I having out first real argument," Scorpius stated confidently.

Rose tried not to look too awkward at the reminder that he too was in the middle of an argument with Albus because of her. Something must have passed across her face as Scorpius watched her because what he said next was exceptionally perceptive.

"Ah, it was bound to happen. I didn't expect it to be over a girl in the way it's shaped out though." He rested his chin on his hand thoughtfully. "Sorry for mentioning Elliot like I did the other night, it really wasn't my place. It's just I'm not one to go quietly when it looks like I'm losing an argument. I had to keep your attention somehow," he threw her an apologetic look for good measure.

"Funnily enough, that's why you're in a fight with Albus. Because he was shutting me out, I just panicked and blurted it all out."

"What? That I may or may not find you attractive?"

"Something like that." She smiled at him despite herself. A warmth spreading through her chest as he gazed at her across the table.

From behind Rose, the sound of giggling reverberated around the shelves. She found that she didn't want to break his eye contact so soon, but as the volume of the giggling heightened she twisted in her chair to glare at a group of third year girls who appeared to be huddled together, pretending to read a book upside-down. Narrowing her eyes as the sunlight flashed across the badge pinned to her chest the girls had the good grace to look startled and run off, dropping the book where they had been stood. Rolling her eyes, she stood up to put the book away on the shelf.

"Do you ever get tired of that kind of attention?" asked Rose, grazing the spines of the books lovingly before sitting back opposite Scorpius. Another case of word vomit was met with a raised eyebrow from the man sitting opposite her. He began tucking in his shirt.

"I know better to ask if you're jealous, don't I?" he asked cheekily.

The side of Rose's mouth tugged to one side. "Actually, it was a genuine question."

Scorpius was quiet for a moment before replying, "It can be tiresome," he paused to stretch the skin of this neck with his hands contemplatively, "especially when there is one woman whose rapt attention I'd rather have."

Her breath caught in the back of her throat, her curiosity fuelling her to oblige him. Just this once. "Are you flirting with me, Scorpius?" she asked good naturedly before she could stop the words tumbling out. Her cheeks flushed with a heat so warming it made her heart begin to race.

"Are you letting me?" he threw her a winning grin getting up from his chair, tugging his satchel onto his shoulder as he stood up straight. Not for one second did he take his eyes off her.

She pulled a face through her smile.

"It's difficult not to when we've strayed from our common path, Red."

"What do you mean?"

Scorpius smirked down at her again, "you've never seemed this relaxed around me. In all of six years. I'd say that was enough progress for me to be a little more myself; be a bit more honest. And I'll take this mild flirtatious venture we just embarked upon as a successful start."

Rose felt almost unable to wipe the smile off her face. "It's not like I could stop you, even if I tried," she said, shaking her head. She felt her hold of the conversation noticeably unravelling yet the warmth that accompanied each look Scorpius gave her now kept her comfortably in her seat.

"Yes. Perhaps I'm being far too presumptuous, perhaps I could wear you down one day, Red. Right now though, I've got a hot date with Trelawney."

Rose laughed then, a bubbly laugh that echoed off the high walls. She heard a distant shushing. "You take Divination at N.E.W.T level?" she asked trying not to sound too derisive. It was a fact that genuinely surprised her and unwittingly amused her.

"It's an easy E. Surely you can understand that." Nudging his glasses up his nose one last time, he swirled round so that his back was to her and as he walked away, his shiny shoes tapped rhythmically on the stone floor until the sound was swallowed by the stacked tomes.

For one glorious moment, Rose Weasley sat smiling contentedly down at her notes still spread out in front of her. She greedily soaked in the tangible temperateness her conversation with Scorpius had caused her, replaying it in her head; eyes fluttering closed of their own accord to see his own eyes staring back.

But the dark green dirtied to brown rapidly, the blonde hair shifting to wet sand. It was like a jump start to Rose's brain. How had this escalated so quickly? Was she suddenly not caring of self-control? And at what point had Scorpius Malfoy got under her skin enough to cause her to indulge in his all of a sudden, pleasurable company?

With that scandalous realisation, she knew she needed a change of scenery. She packed her belongings away in a hurry and left the library without a backwards glance.

* * *

 **Many thanks to all readers! Apologies this is a little shorter than the previous chapters. I've been struggling with the Albus/Rose interactions for this story and I really wanted it to sound in character rather than me just rushing to get out updates. I love writing this Rose/Scorpius so this section was quite straight forward by contrast.**  
 **I'm taking a holiday for a few weeks so another chapter won't be for a while, I hope this will suffice for the time being.**  
 ****Mischief managed****


	5. Chapter 5

**Wednesday – Albus**

Rose was on her bed in her Head Girl dormitory. She was laid flat on her back staring at the stone ceiling, counting the cobwebs. It was the limbo between classes and dinner. A time normally reserved for frantic scribbling of concise notes had instead been set aside in favour of Rose wallowing in a poor form of self-pity and re-evaluation.

Agonising guilt was not something Rose Weasley was familiar with. In that afternoon however, she was racked with it.

She kept going over and over the circumstances in her head. Upon Elliot's suggestion of the two of them seeing each other, sure she hadn't been overly enthused, but she had been caught off guard – the potential of it becoming a good thing had taken precedence. Why shouldn't the Head Boy and Girl work as a couple?

Then Scorpius happened. A fickle voice in her head kept reminding her that he had always been attractive, that much she had known and accepted.

When had her objective opinion based purely on the fact the giggling girls surrounding him had irked her changed into a subjective one? One where she could willingly attest to his attractiveness. Was it his open admittance that he liked her, or was it his testament of liking her for a long time behind the scenes? The idea of an attraction to Scorpius was curling itself around her consciousness – tightening its hold every time she let her mind wander to all those supposedly innocent conversations and his ever-lingering gaze. Rose Weasley was not about to go all puppy dog eyed over a man (her weak moment in the library was quite obviously a blip), though he certainly wasn't just Albus' friend anymore. It didn't help that at a boarding school crammed with young witches and wizards that when you're implicitly trying to avoid contact with someone your interactions with them always increase tenfold. It's inevitable.

This did nothing to hone Rose's focus away from Scorpius. She had never considered any guy to be as alluring as Scorpius was beginning to be in her mind. This thought freaked her out considerably. Why Scorpius? And why now? Rose tried to reason, in her mind, as she often did with difficult or potentially problematic issues such as this by breaking it down. His attraction towards her was displayed in such honest and beguiling confidence she struggled to argue against it. He was completely unabashed about his feelings, that somehow was lending Rose to become more open around him herself. She found how at ease she had been with him in the library the previous day to be rather freeing.

She also, though she was loathed to admit it, felt some familiarity there. Something that had once been dread of being pranked in his presence had transformed into that strange tightening of her gut and heat in her cheeks.

Something else was nagging at her. It was this particular feeling that was dangerously close to encroaching above her more often than not, infallible reasoning. That feeling in her gut; it excited her. It was a similar sensation she had forgot about that had occurred during the summer when she had unwittingly hung out with Scorpius and enjoyed herself. She just hadn't recognised it then.

Rose knew based on these conclusions she had two very difficult conversations ahead of her. The first was obviously with Elliot. It was neither fair nor justifiable that she could have led him on as long as she already had, purely because she had never truly liked him in the first place. Not like _that_ anyway. She was certainly not about to be that brutal when informing him that their arrangement couldn't possibly continue a day longer. Unfortunately, Wednesday marked out the Duelling club, run by Elliot himself and another Hufflepuff seventh year. Meaning Rose would have to wait until their evening patrol the following day or cancel studying with Shannon and Jasmine that night to have this uncomfortable conversation.

The second person she had to speak to was Albus. For a smart girl, Rose still couldn't fathom why Albus had been so harsh about the whole Scorpius situation. On recollection, it really did seem he was more pissed off about that than the broom cupboard issue, no matter what Scorpius had said about "self-preservation". True, she had never previously been overly keen on Scorpius' attention or company, but things can change so easily. _The truth can change things so easily._

For this reason, Rose sat up gingerly on her bed, running both hands through her hair to calm herself down. She slid on her old boots and threw her cloak over her shoulders, accompanied by her Ravenclaw scarf to combat the biting February winds.

As she made her way across the grounds, she couldn't make out any dark figures up on brooms against the darkened sky. This most likely meant they had finished training and were instead hauled up in the changing rooms for a post training pep talk.

As she approached closer, a few Slytherin boys appeared out of the stands. Their faces looked despondent, their shoulders sagging beneath their brooms. Making their way to the nearest broom shed a few of them cast Rose a cursory nod or lift of their hand as they passed. At a glance, she noted the five boys as they headed back up to the castle, meaning only two remained.

Taking a steadying breath, Rose knocked on the wooden slat leading into the changing room. Upon hearing a muffled grunt, she crossed the threshold into the damp air left behind after half a dozen showers.

"Hi Red," came a voice from behind her. As she spun round her eye level caught the bare chest of Scorpius Malfoy disappeared as a tshirt was pulled over his head. He ruffled his wet hair with his palm while bending down to scoop his glasses off the nearest bench.

A few months ago, hell, a few days ago, Rose might have recoiled at the prospect of stumbling across Scorpius with his shirt off. Now however, she had to wrench her eyes away from where she had just witnessed bare skin. Her mouth parted, her whole demure relaxing before she caught herself; it was _never_ appropriate for the Head Girl to leer at a bloke in the changing rooms. No matter what kind of earth shattering realisation you had just had about said bloke. His wet and ruffled hair still made her throat go dry.

"Hi," Rose spoke, her voice cracking, "is Albus round?"

Scorpius gritted his teeth, looking vexed his eyes lifted up to the ceiling, "You're braver than me."

"How come?"

"Training isn't the most pleasant experience when you've got someone whacking bludgers at you with impressive force for two whole hours."

"What're you doing here?" came the voice of Albus Potter from the alcove leading to the showers. His hair was damp with water, which did nothing to dilute the piercing look Albus surveyed her with.

She held his gaze, wary though determined.

Scorpius grazed her elbow as he shouldered his broom, "I'd better be going, catch you later Al." He threw him a halfhearted wave before whispering "good luck, Red." As he left, leaving the two cousins alone.

"What're you doing here?" Albus repeated, dispassionately.

Rose bit her lip. She knew putting herself in this situation again wouldn't be easy, but she wanted closure. Her heart screamed that she needed it. She felt her chest constrict. "I'm….erm…I don't think our conversation went all that well the other day."

Albus turned, his back now facing her, "you don't say? Have you at least come to tell me face to face that you are going to McGonagall?" His question was blunt as he rummaged in his satchel.

Rose started, "if I was it would be both of you."

"How _fair_ of you," muttered Albus under his breath, his back still to her. Rose knew he'd be wearing an ugly sneer she would rather not see anyway. Perhaps this was better.

"I still don't understand-"

"Did you just say 'if I was'?" Albus interrupted, his hand half raised.

"Maybe I did," said Rose, crossing her arms defensively over her chest.

Albus' expression transformed into one of melancholy as he angled his body back towards her. This caused a fiery anger to flare up within her. She bristled, her hair crackling quietly with static. Why did he feel the need to pity her, especially when Scorpius had admitted his feelings outright? Albus' denial was plain and simply hurtful.

"Scorpius spoke to you again, didn't he?"

"I'm here to speak to you, Albus. Not to discuss Scorpius." Rose stated coolly, failing to mimic the same level of hostility as Albus.

"He clearly managed to convince you. Your tune has changed drastically since we last spoke."

"Actually I've had time to sit with it. Scorpius and I-"

"Since when has he been Scorpius to you?"

Rose gulped, Albus merely watched her patiently. A dark shadow cast over half his face. If Scorpius had stayed, would it have made this conversation any easier? Albus was already upset with him too.

"He's grown up a lot over the years," she said, although she knew ALbus would see right through this.

"The bloke that cut a chunk out of your hair in 7th year Herbology – last week – has matured?" Albus barked out a harsh laugh. It reverberated off the wooden stats in the walls, cracking like splinters puncturing the skin.

Rose winced, knowing she was falling into his trap. She wasn't here to discuss this.

"Albus we're going nowhere here. You're giving me the cold shoulder; for what? Because Scorpius and I don't dislike each other anymore?"

"He never disliked you."

"Fine." Rose bristled, "Then I find him more-" _Attractive_ , "-tolerable." Her chest tightened again, this time like a coiled spring, she wasn't keeping her blush in check. Albus exaggerated rolling his eyes, Rose ploughed on, ignoring his insolence, "I've said I'm not going to dob you in. It would be completely hypocritical of me if I did, wouldn't it?"

"Don't give me that crap. You were fluttering your eyelashes at him just then," Albus gestured towards the door where Scorpius has made his exit.

"I bloody well wasn't Albus," she said shrilly, glaring at him. The indignation had caused her voice to crack. They stood there in silence for a moment. Rose knew she wouldn't win this without admitting something – anything – of how she now felt. She sighed.

"Talking with Scorpius, it opened my eyes a little. Made me think I was being too insular and judgemental."

"So you do like him now then?" Albus demanded, his anger flaring up again unexpectedly.

"I'm not sure," she lied.

"That's a yes," Albus spat.

"It wasn't a yes. I've just become," she tried to think of an ambiguous enough word to convey that she didn't even know yet, "ambivalent towards him."

"Yeah," Albus face melted into a sneer worthy of his middle-namesake, "and that blush as you merely talk about him says differently. To me that suggests guilt."

"Honestly Al, is this exaggerated hostility because you don't want me to tell McGonagall or because you want Scorpius all to yourself?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Eugh," Rose threw her hands in the air in exasperation, "we've had this god damn conversation before! I mean that you want him as your friend and not in any way shared with me," she jabbed roughly at her own chest with her thumb. "The Head Girl who supposedly already has it good enough."

"You're not even his type."

"Circe, Albus. You're being cruel for the hell of it now. Just because you're in Slytherin doesn't mean you have to act like the textbook definition of one! It sounds to me that you're upset that you might – heaven forbid – end up spending a fraction less time with your best friend?!" She hit a nerve, the vein in Albus' forehead twitched, his eyebrows crushed together furiously. This only spurred her on, "or are you jealous? That I might take him away from you? Need I remind you that we were best friends when we were kids? Before Hogwarts!"

"A best friend, defends someone _Rosie_. Whatever house they get put in," he said his old nickname for her so bitterly she had to ball her fists to stop herself hurtling at him and punching every part of him she could reach.

"Not this again," she said through gritted teeth, she knew if he looked furious she must look positively frenzied. "I was a fucking first year. I had a blip, like everyone else! It was shock. I was never mean about it. Sure, I should have owled your mum sooner but I didn't did I? Because Scorpius turned into your only confidant. And then it was him who told me all the things James was doing!"

"By that point, I didn't care." She took a step towards him, shaking with repressed rage. He didn't even blink.

"Merlin. This conversation is exhausting. Bringing up ghosts from the past that I thought had been lamented. So, Albus Potter is pissed at me for numerous reasons," Rose lifted her right fist. "You're still mad and bitter about something that happened when we were eleven?" She pulled out her smallest finger, "you're pissed because I got Head Girl," another finger. Albus pursed his lips but this time remained silent, "pissed because Scorpius fancies me-"

"I knew this would happen!" Albus voice exploded out his mouth as if it had been contained for an innumerable amount of time. "The bastard."

Rose shook her head, feeling in disarray and incredulous, "How does him liking me make him a bastard?"

Albus looked wild, his eyes blazing a white heat that doused the green, "because he's supposed to like me! He's supposed to fall for me!"

The words fell into a chasm between them, echoing around their ears. Albus wore a look of absolute horror at the words he'd just yelled.

A bubble seemed to inflate in her chest and burst. Again and again. With each memory, each heart wrenching time she had felt insecure about her and Scorpius' respective relationships with Albus the realisation of why she had been treated the way she had caused the painful repeated thud behind her ribcage.

 _He's supposed to fall for me._

Although this fit with everything, she still couldn't believe she had never noticed, not had a single inkling.

"Albus I had….no idea." Her voice shook and she internally cursed herself for it. It made her sound afraid.

"I wanted to keep it that way," he said, tearing he eyes away, he sounded ashamed.

She took another step towards him; all anger having burnt out by this other revelation. "Albus, are you ok?"

Albus didn't answer. He sat down on the bench, his shoulders hunched and his head fell in his hands.

Rose bit her lip, "does anyone else know?" She saw him shake his head. She took another, this time more confident step towards him.

"Look at me, Al," she said as soothingly as she could. She hadn't seen him in such despair in seven years. It was gut wrenching. His deflated form flinched away as she moved to squeeze his shoulder. Moving even more tentatively, in both shock and awe of what she had just found out all her senses now pointed instead of confusion and hatred to comfort. Albus looked positively wounded and that didn't sit right with her; whatever he'd said earlier to hurt her feelings.

When she had managed to gracefully lay an arm around his shoulders, he relaxed a fraction before to her uttermost surprise one of his hands shot up to grab her hand and squeezed her fingers together tightly. She rearranged their hands to apply the same sure pressure back, his hand just as warm and rough as she remembered from childhood.

This physical contact instilled in her the ability to keep talking. "How long have you known?" Her attempt at phrasing the question with all emphasis away from Scorpius. Albus ran his free hand through his hair.

"I don't even know," he croaked, still not looking at her. His head down, almost to his knees, completely hopeless. After a moment he had a sound, something guttural and primal – a throaty growl of an animal furious that it's prey has escaped.

"Better you then Lily I suppose," his voice taking on a more familiar morose tone. At Albus words she couldn't help herself. If he wanted to deal with this in this manner, she would continue as she saw fit.

"You should tell him."

Albus' head shot up, his eyes wide, staring straight at the wall in front of him, transfixed, "no, absolutely not."

"He's a brother you chose for yourself, of course you need to tell him."

"It's not the 16th century, Rose. Incest of the brotherly kind is out of the question."

"I don't mean it like that, "she said softly, "your friendship is valued so highly by both of you, the bond you share is more like brothers than friends. Lots of people have said that to me before."

"Here's me suggesting he might reciprocate," Albus chuckle was hollow under his breath. "I'm aware of that," he ground out through his teeth, " _he's_ as straight as they come. A knights sword, the out of bounds line on the Quidditch Pitch-"

"I get it," Rose interrupted before Albus could begin a tirade with false humour.

Albus put his head in his hands again, massaging his temples, "Uncle George likened us to him and Uncle Fred. Except…what was it he said….'if we were evil snakes'."

"He didn't mean that!"

"Didn't he?" Albus finally locked eyes with her, and she was startled to see them brimming with unshed tears, his voice still level but empty. Almost pleading. "The whole family still denies it."

Rose dug deep, for something she wanted for the both of them, for something that she had been struggling with herself, "your house doesn't define the path you tread into adulthood. The black and white merged decades ago. Your house isn't who you are," she gently brought their foreheads together closing her own eyes, her hand finding his, "your decisions and treatment of others is how you're viewed in the outside world." She said this in a quiet breath, feeling it's heat pool between their faces.

"My treatment of you doesn't bode well for me then?" Albus asked, sardonically. "You've fitted into your house well though," he pulled away though he kept his hand with hers, his eyes dark but swimming, "you'll be following in your mum's footsteps soon enough."

"Contrary to popular belief, this is all a well-planned front. I have zero clue what I'm going to do after Hogwarts."

"You'll get fed up with him, Rose. He's too much of a jester for you."

"But not for you," Rose smiled sadly at him, which Albus return while wiping his eyes. "I'm starting to think I've taken life too seriously. And its probably took me too long to work that out." She looked at him again, really looked at him. It had been some time. His chin was sprouting generous and even stubble, his eyes were more hooded then when they were younger, and he'd definitely grown into his jaw. His green eyes a clear standout of his facial features; piercing and heart stopping if they held fire.

"Are you going to tell him?"

"I don't think I can."

"He deserves to know why you're angry at him," said Rose with earnest. Her breath caught in the back of her throat before she managed to utter her next question, "are you in love with him?"

Albus shook his head violently, "I don't even know! It comes and it goes. One minute I'm furious he's fooling around with some girl while I'm yearning over him, the next I'm over the moon he wants to hang out with me and puts me first when we pull pranks together, stuff like that." He finished lamely, but she knew what he meant.

"Diplomatic response."

"I wish we were still kids too sometimes. No thoughts of love or who you fancied, especially if it was boys or even what we want to do after school?"

Rose couldn't help smiling despite herself, "How is it that Scorpius is the only one out of the three of us who seems to have any idea what he's doing?"

"Probably that heavily weighted paternal upbringing," Albus deadpanned. He caught her eye and they both laughed. Awkwardly at first, but then so much that they were hanging off each other's shoulders, tears of laughter falling big and fat onto their legs.

Between gasps to calm down, Rose spoke, "yeah, I bet his father coaxed him into wanting to travel the world an wear…what was it? Metallica t-shirts in our grandmother's kitchen?"

"Not to mention how many detentions he's had."

They were both still breathing heavily, Rose felt hot in the changing room from her newly racing heart. She pulled away from Albus to give him some space too. She fanned herself with her hand, grinning at him.

Albus eyed her curiously, "maybe I have underestimated him when it comes to you." Her heart leapt to her throat.

"It's nothing to speak about yet!" she said hastily.

"You a fucking awful liar."

"I'll admit that at least. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't considered it," she didn't want to talk about that now, that wasn't what mattered, "will you at least think about telling him?"

He paused, a hand coming up to his chin as he shrugged, "what if he laughs?"

"Liberal, jester-Malfoy, 8th descendent of goblin slave owners, your best friend, confidant and partner in crime?"

Albus blinked.

"Doubtful."

He didn't say anything, he just pulled her into a hug. It was full and close, almost like how her father hugged her.

"God Albus, what's been wrong with us? I love you, you…git." Her tears fell into his pullover.

"I deserve that one."

"I'm sorry we drifted apart."

"I'm sorry too."

They said nothing else to one another. No other words were needed. They left the changing rooms shoulder to shoulder. Walking back up to the castle, the glow of the thousand lit windows, reflected in the tears on her cheeks.

 **Thursday – Elliot**

"Is someone going to tell me why Scorpius Malfoy is burning a hole in the back of your head, Rose? Or do I have to go and ask him to stop it myself?" Shannon glanced over Rose's shoulder for the umpteenth time that dinner.

Rose sent a sidelong glance at Jasmine who was distracted, having one hand holding a textbook and the other slicing profiteroles on her brass plate.

Shannon huffed, "So Jasmine can know but I can't?" having followed Rose's gaze. The worst flaw of a Ravenclaw; they had to know _everything_. Although Rose's knowledge of 'everything' came in investigating physical circumstances that she should probably leave well alone, Shannon's came in the form of gossip and affairs.

"He fancies her," said Jasmine frankly, not taking her eyes off her book. Rose gagged, the burly fifth year beside her whacked her on the back, thankfully dislodging the chunk of biscuit base of her cheesecake from her windpipe.

Rose stared at the side of Jasmine's head as if she'd gone mad. Whether Jasmine could feel the side of her head heating up or not she continued to read as if she were alone in the hall.

Shannon looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "doesn't everyone know that?" Jasmine lowered the textbook.

"You knew?" she asked, her voice sceptical but her face expressionless.

Shannon shrugged, "if I had to guess, he's always glancing at her. All looks like he's attempting to be furtive. He seemed to manage it with the girls he's actually seeing. Never really looks at them, but he's always looking over here."

"Fair deduction," said Jasmine going back to her book as if she has zero interest in the matter.

Rose took a moment to look over Shannon's shoulder and caught the eyes behind spectacles staring this way. A small smirk curled his mouth. He nodded his head, Rose's eyes widened and she looked back down at the leftover cheesecake on her plate.

"Oh my god! You fancy him as well," said Shannon, grinning with unbridled glee.

Rose grabbed the front of her robes rather aggressively, pulling the other girl round to face her, "will you keep your god damn voice down!" For a moment Shannon looked shocked at being man handled, but the panic must have been evident in her eyes. She raised a knowing and annoying eyebrow.

"You're still seeing Rhodes then? I thought that would have fizzled out by now." Said Shannon as if it was a topic often spoken about freely at dinner.

Rose cringed, "I'm working on it."

"So there _is_ something between you and Malfoy?"

"No."

"You want there to be?"

Rose hesitated, "can we not discuss this here?" she glanced up the table, thankfully most of her house had vacated to the library or the common room. Fewer open ears to hear her indiscretions.

"That's a yes," said Shannon, a satisfied smile dancing across her face.

"Should we go start that essay for Greengrass? There are some books in the restricted section I wanted to have a look through," Jasmine spoke as if in a daze – or autopilot – as she addressed Shannon, having set aside her fork in favour of her bare hand to pick up the two remaining profiteroles.

Shannon bristled, glancing between the other two girls, "you guys are no fun! Why can't I be excited that our Rose might actually have something more amorous than missionary?"

"Hey-"

"We all know there isn't a passionate bone in Rhodes' body." Said Shannon in a rather patronising tone. Jasmine began to pack away her things as her plate faded into thin air. "Malfoy however…" the girl looked vacantly over to the Slytherin table, "compulsive, funny, smart. Definitely cunning, I'd bet a galleon he'd rock your world." She said this so matter-of-factly it made Rose's stomach flip.

"Come on Shannon," drawled Jasmine in a bored voice taking a handful of grapes from the remaining fruit bowl, "the Head Girl has patrol." She caught Rose's eye and gave her a weak but apologetic look. Rose returned a begrudging smile as she heard Shannon ask Jasmine from ten steps ahead of her, "so Cattermole, you know more than you're letting on. Don't make me curse the books you want to read into runes, I know even you'd struggle to translate."

"You know I don't bend to threats," she heard Jasmine reply, dryly.

"And you don't break rules so wouldn't be able to stop me without putting me in a Body-Bind-"

"Don't tempt me." She heard Jasmine say as they moved out of earshot.

If it wasn't for patrols, Rose might have taken the opportunity to take to her dorm room again to work on an essay or distract herself with a fictional book. Or the ground to swallow her up, again. She saw in the corner of her eye a tall dark-haired bloke head towards the Slytherin table and bend down to speak to Scorpius. She knew it was Albus immediately, but she didn't want to look like she was being nosy. At the very same moment she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder and turned to see Elliot smiling down at her, his cheeks like a cherubs, round and tinged pink. She returned his smile with slight reluctance.

"Shall we?" he put out an arm for her but she raised from the seat herself and threw her bag over her shoulder. He followed dutifully behind for a moment before rushing to catch up to her brisk stride.

"Are you in a rush?"

"Not particularly." She stated, not even convincing herself.

They reached the doors of the hall as Albus and Scorpius passed talking in hushed voices, both boys glancing their way – suddenly finding less space in the door way with the other couple present. Scorpius eyes seemed to hone in on the arm Elliot had just slung over her shoulders with a deep frown and Albus surveying the situation with mild interest. His eyes flicking between Scorpius and Elliot before he threw Rose a - _let me sort out my mess first_ – look before tugged on Scorpius' sleeve and heading towards the dungeons.

Elliot turned them towards the marble staircase as they began to walk in step together, Rose resisted the urge to immediately shrug off Elliot's arm. "Those guys are really close, don't you think?" he asked, a slightly mystified look in his eye.

"They're friends. Best friends," Rose corrected, a warm feeling spreading in her chest at the thought of her remerging relationship with Albus.

Elliot made a noise somewhere between a grunt and a huff, "the guys on the Hufflepuff team thing there is something going on."

Rose stiffened, his words rattling around her head for a moment before she forced her shoulders to relax, "I highly doubt that based on how Scorpius is with girls." She forced it out trying hard to not sound like she had any reason to agree with Elliot.

"He could bat for both teams," said Elliot casting his own glance towards the dungeon entrance before they turned onto the first-floor corridor. "And Potter, he's your cousin right? You'd know if-"

"Enough!" said Rose, falling to the end of her rope. She tasted bile. There had been too many revelations, too many intimate conversations that week already and yet she still had to force herself to have this one. With a guy who found the most perfect time to question her cousin's sexuality when she was about to effectively dump him. Merlin had to have it in for her. She straightened herself to her full height, taking a few deep breaths, Elliot had dropped his arm some time before.

"It's none of our business what they get up to in their spare time." The double meaning in her choice of words wasn't lost on her and a panicked drumbeat began in her chest.

She must have looked irritated as Elliot just nodded, "alright."

They were quiet for some time. Every now and then they would open up a broom cupboard to reveal a writhing couple or a pack of rats fighting over a chicken carcass of unknown age. Every now and again Elliot would sidle closer to her in the corridor but she would scoot away, closer to the wall each time. She didn't need his physical attention then, nor did she want it.

"Are you alright, Rosie?" he asked on the fifth-floor corridor after she had a shouting match with Peeves for writing _Farts are loud, farts are fun, never smell like roses; they dart out your bum!_ On the stonewall.

Still seething, Rose couldn't help but be thankful for this window of opportunity. Elliot might be unlucky to feel her wrath as a stress outlet, and not in a way she usually let him have it.

"No, actually."

"You want to talk about it?" Elliot asked, kindly while still managing to appear unsure.

"You're not going to like it." She said bluntly, tearing open a tapestry and taking the stairs two at a time, stomping with each footfall.

"Oh."

She halted when they arrived on the seventh floor. Spinning round to face him, his innocent expression knocking half the fight and anger out of her. His mousy hair was tousled, his mouth downturned in concern. He was good looking, undoubtedly. He'd make a good boyfriend to someone who returned his affection she reasoned with herself.

"This," she gestured between the two of them, closing her eyes as if pained, "it isn't working for me."

When she looked at him he was staring back blankly, realisation showing gradually in the upturn of his mouth and bottom lip protruding out.

"Oh, right. What's brought this on?" he asked, the naivety of the question almost caused Rose to laugh in his face. She decided that now wasn't the time to beat around the bush.

"I haven't been fair to you. We've always been a bit one sided. I guess, as clique as it sounds…I never felt a spark between us."

He suddenly looked confused, "even when-" he trailed off as she nodded.

"It was good, don't get me wrong. It just isn't the relationship I had in mind. It's unfair to you when you could be with someone who appreciates you. Sorry," said Rose, the guilt rising in a wave from her navel and crashing around her ears, "it's six months of your final year you won't be getting back."

Elliot remained stood there, silently nodding, watching her face as she spoke. She assumed it was still sinking in, so she ploughed on. "I feel like I've always been closed off to you, I never really opened up."

This time Elliot turned a little to lean on the wall closest, folding his arms, "can I ask you something?"

"I don't see why not," although having encouraged him to continue, Rose felt a little nervous at what the question might hold.

Elliot frowned, "do you like someone else?"

"What?"

"It's just I happened to stumble on a conversation you were having with Malfoy."

"When?" she asked, thinking about the library and the dungeon and which one might be considered worse.

"Yesterday. In the library." Taking the smallest of victories in this, she felt a little relieved it hadn't been their encounter in the dungeon he'd bore witness to.

"So you heard?-"

"I also heard," Elliot seemed to have found his voice, interrupting her and raising his speech above her interruption, "Chambers saying some things in the Owlery a few days ago."

So, he had known? He'd known what she was going to talk about before she even mentioned it? Rose guessed she deserved that, she pleasantly surprised amongst everything of how ruthless Elliot had been.

"So you knew I was going to have this conversation with you?" she asked flabbergasted, tugging at the sleeves of her robes awkwardly, the blue stain catching her eye for a moment.

Elliot, who it appeared was more easy-going about the situation than Rose had expected felt a little ashamed. Maybe she had thought a bit too much of herself?

"I put two and two together," he gazed at her, impassive, "it gave me a little heads up to process. OF which I'm actually grateful. I'm not good with surprises."

"I wouldn't trust any of the shit that comes out of Chambers mouth, just so you know." Rose bit out suddenly, Elliot grinned for a moment.

"Oh I don't doubt that. But the exchange you had with Malfoy was kind of…eye opening." He cast her a probing look as her cheeks turned rosy in the torchlight. "Perhaps I should have seen it coming. I guess there was a small part of me that thought you might open up to me. Wishful thinking, eh?"

"No!" she said hastily, the guilt stealing her again to make excuses where there clearly wasn't any warranted, "in another world where I hadn't subconsciously started liking Scorpius Malfoy without even my own knowledge we could definitely have been something more." She knew she was saying this to save face, make him feel better. He didn't look dejected, but It was in the slump of his shoulders and the vacant expression in his eyes. Some part of him was saddened by it all even if he wasn't quite as overt about his feelings as others (such as herself) might be.

"So you like Malfoy then?" tat was the clearest she'd herard it, the hollow quality his voice had established in the empty corridor.

She sighed, exhausted and not wanting to lie to anyone – her self especially – any longer.

"Loathe am I do admit it."

They continued the rounds in what Rose thought was amicable silence. Rose felt free of the guilt she'd begun to feel. She felt lighter than she had in days, although Albus' secret might start burning a hole in her brain if he hadn't the courage to tell Scorpius the truth. The slump in Elliot's shoulders went barely noticed. She might have felt worse had she had strong feelings for him in the first place. What they experienced was not what she would even have considered a serious relationship. And now, relieved from it, she wondered how he could have thought it that either.

XXX

Things with Elliot had never been what she had displayed on the surface. When she relived the events over the following hours and days she would go through repeated stages of guilt, relief and excitement.

Until it became too much.

When the following Saturday rolled along, Rose couldn't quite believe the week she'd had. Amongst all the unusual and unprecedented drama she had somehow gained three _O_ grade essays and over two dozen house points. It was like the rest of her work load had been set to autopilot while her brain kicked and whirred with all the social issues she was facing.

Word hadn't seemed to have got out about her own indiscretions. For that she was grateful. People still treated her with as much respect as they had the Head Girl a week ago. Yet she wasn't the same person.

In retrospect, a huge amount had happened, but realistically it was just another burst of events amongst the general monotony. Only one thing stood out to her those next few days. Even though she tried to catch his eye, Scorpius was more evasive than usual. Blaming a potential heart to heart with Albus to be the thing affecting his usual rapour, she had mused a thousand scenarios on how things would work out. Now that she knew this – he - was what she wanted. The excitement, the thrill, the passion.

She was still Rose Weasley though. It had taken her at least an hour in front of a mirror for a pep talk with her own reflection to get her sneaking across the entrance hall on Saturday night. She clutched tightly to the tie in her pocket, like a talisman. Her toes were already tingling.

* * *

 **I wrote most of this on my phone. Yep. I'm that guy now. My life is so freaking busy I only went through it once after I pasted it into a WordDoc for spellcheck. I might have missed some so I apologise. (I was just super keen to get this out tonight).  
** **In all honesty I feel like this chapter is rather weak. Perhaps I bit off more than I could chew with the tension in Albus and Rose's relationship. If I get some bad reviews I'll consider going back for a rehash...but I don't think it reads _that_ terribly. Could also be considered a filler chapter - the next one is also mostly written on my phone already. I just need a night or two to dedicate to fleshing it out a little. **

**Many thanks for reading all.  
*Mischief managed***


	6. Chapter 6

**Author note: This chapter is essentially now back to the present day where the initial introduction in chapter one left off. I've been waiting to tell this part of the story for…however many months now. This chapter was written first as part of this story. I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing this chapter, I am super excited to get this out!**

 **Second author note: I'm sorry to anyone who was confused by the story timeline. I really love a non-linear progression. As it would seem, so does Christopher Nolan.**

 **Disclaimer: JKR owns this world. But I'm still in love with it.**

* * *

When Rose approached the corridor that housed Al and Scorpius' office, she came to a standstill at the familiar crossroads lit with phosphorescent lamps, the green glow less eerie than before. The dank air tasted foul as she breathed through her mouth, out of breath and out of her mind. She was ripped with an overwhelming sense of self awareness. The thought occurred to her that if Scorpius was there that evening, with possession of the map; he would have been able to see her approaching.

Both mortified and slightly relieved, Rose knew she couldn't just run away, she couldn't back out now. She had stopped counting the amount of times she had tried to convince herself that this was what she wanted. But she always kept coming back to the same conclusion; she wouldn't know until she tried. It was scientific to test a hypothesis. When she considered it that way, it was easier to accept her decision, breaking school rules aside.

When she finally neared the door, still cast under a red glow, it burst open before she could reach for the handle. A girl walked out into the corridor.

Elizabeth Thomas.

Gorgeous, leggy, blonde, tanned; Elizabeth Thomas. In the golden light now diffusing into the corridor her lips were unmistakably stained red and swollen, her cheeks flushed to match her bright eyes. Rose felt her stomach drop at the site of her. Her formally acquainted diffidence flooding back, numbing her bones.

"Oh hey, Rose!" Elizabeth supplied innocently, though her eyes darted to the open doorway. She began tying her mussed hair into a ponytail out of her face. "Fancy seeing you down here!" As a Gryffindor, it wasn't common to find one of them down there so far away from their own dormitory except for class. Although, as Head Girl, Rose certainly had more reason to be down there so late. Those other reasons took on a toxic quality as she eyed the girl with bitter contempt.

 _He was never going to wait for you._

"I'm not in trouble, am I?" Elizabeth asked cheekily.

Rose eyes narrowed, "not if you're gone by the time I open my eyes." When she closed them, she could feel the searing pain of salty tears welling up. She heard the girl's dainty footsteps echo away down the corridor hurriedly. _Good._

She tried, with everything she had to bite back the tears. She took a shuddering, calming breath, about to turn around in the corridor and pretend she had never ventured down there at all. No one could find her lurking down in the corridor but then-

"Weasley?" His voice sounded surprised, and only a foot away. His proximity made her hair stand on end. She didn't want to open her eyes, afraid to see what state he might be in.

Another breath and she opened them. He too had pink blossoming on the normally pale apples of his cheeks. His hair was ruffled more so than usual.

She felt sick and betrayed as he glanced at her with an irreproachable look. He squinted suddenly, leaning closer before making a sharp movement back into the room to fetch something. When he materialised again, Rose remained rooted to the spot he'd found her. He pushed his glasses up his nose, focusing on her face.

"What're you doing here?"

The feeling of betrayal was irrational; she knew that. He'd said he was going to wear her down not wait around. That didn't stop her speaking with her nose in the air, "I came to see you." Her voice came out much more of a whimper than she intended. She wanted to run again, and keep running. Running away; as always. This time she thought she had every right to.

"You made up your mind about this then?" he asked gravely, blinking solemnly behind his spectacles. His eyes briefly flickered down the corridor, over her shoulder in the direction Thomas has scuttled off. She bit down on her tongue to reinforce the pain somewhere else on her body away from her chest.

She tried to look him in the eye, as seriously as she could. Any remnants of dignity the only thing she was still clutching onto. "About a lot of things actually. Or I thought I did."

How absurd had she been to consider such a backwards notion that Scorpius Malfoy might save himself after his little speech. How embarrassed she felt in her shortened skirt, the chill of the dungeon bringing her back to the harsh reality.

She knows she is blushing. This time it's entirely embarrassment and her own presumption. His gaze scrambles over her face and general appearance; something she was certainly more accustomed to of late. She still withered a little under his audacious confidence.

"Have you been out with Rhodes?" he asked.

"No, why?" she asked puzzled, suddenly forgetting the hour getting ready and pep talk before leaving the dormitory to feel humiliated.

"You're all dressed up. For school uniform, anyway."

She didn't answer. She felt incapable of answering as her eyes lingered on his ruffled hair that she knew Elizabeth had just been running her fingers through. It made her feel nauseous.

"We broke up. A few days ago."

Scorpius face remained blank, he didn't seem to react at all. "Why are you here then, Red?"

She drew her gaze from his, "it's a waste of time, I shouldn't have come." She began to turn, her eyes growing hot again. And damn. There was no chance he would see her cry over him. "I'm not shutting you down so you don't have to worry about that."

Scorpius immediately grabbed her elbow, she flinched away instinctively. It was like an electric pulse; shocking but quick starting. She wanted him to touch her but she also didn't.

"Why are you here then? And why are you all dressed up?" he asks, his expression still unreadable. He remained that way, even after she locked eyes with him – filled with anguish and sadness that was enveloping her.

His face scrunched in doubt, "I don't want to be rude…" he trailed off, smoothing his hair down, moving to lean on the door frame in an attempt to appear more casual. If anything, this broke his casual façade. It was far too forced. His shoes flashed in the torchlight in his movement, rousing that old irk; engaging her Head Girl instincts. Forcing composure.

"You'd be right, ok? Happy. Now I'm mortified, so I'm just going to leave and go to bed like I should have done rather than coming down here and making a fool of myself." The sentence had started so confidently, but was rushed and harsh by the end.

"No, wait. I don't get it-"

"What's there to get? If you can understand why I came down here then surely you can understand why it's impertinent that I have to leave." It was her turn to rove her eyes explicitly over his mussed appearance. "Now."

"Oh crickey, Red," Scorpius ran both hands through his hair, one hand pointing down the corridor, the other into the makeshift office, " _that's_ nothing!"

"It didn't look like nothing," she bit out before she could stop herself.

"That's not what I meant, it's" he scrunched up his face, struggling to find the right word, "casual, Yes! That's what I mean. A mutually casual thing." He finished lamely, with no shred of eloquence.

"I assumed you saw me coming on the map and wanted to get rid of her," said Rose coldly, unable to stop herself.

"That's not fair, Red. I had no bloody idea you would come down here again!"

"You would have seen me on the map," she repeated stubbornly.

Scorpius shook his head, "I don't have the map right now. Albus is out on reconnaissance with it," he said in a rush. "Red I need you to be explicit here."

Mention of Albus distracted her momentarily, "so you guys made up?"

Scorpius opened his hands and raised his head to the ceiling, "I now know what you know apparently, although that wasn't the most awkward part of the conversation. Red, why _exactly_ did you come down here?" his eyebrows knotted above his glasses.

"You're making me say it? For Circe's sake Malfoy," she dropped his firstname by habit but instantly regretted it. It sounded so cold as if thrown as an insult.

"So I'm Malfoy again am I?" his eyes flashed, suddenly defensive, "what was that? I thought I was making some head way. We were treating each other like friends rather than strangers. I thought I was proving something to you."

"Eugh, you are fucking insufferable. Another girl just walked out of here!" she all but shouted.

"Perhaps I am. I'm pretty sure it isn't a crime."

"It's breaking school rules," she ground out, her teeth grinding together, rage and annoyance blinding all thoughts of insecurities. He really knew how to push her buttons.

"I thought you were leaving," he said sardonically. His eyes raked over her as always, lingering on the shortened hem of her skirt. Yet her anger seemed to melt him. His eyes softened, regret filling them almost immediately.

He sighed, scratching the back of his neck, "would you like a drink?"

Rose huffed, "yes actually. That would be wonderful considering what great effort I did to get down here." She stalked past him into the room and took a seat at the desk.

Scorpius poured two glasses as he'd done the week before, passing her one that she snatched angrily out of his grasp. They drank in silence for a moment.

"Fuck." She breathed.

"Pardon?"

"When did I become this wreck of a woman?" Her fists found her own hair, "you…" she pointed her index finger accusingly at Scorpius. "You…or more accurately, the idea of you has been planted in here." She moved her finger to prod her temple. If she hadn't been too tightly wound she might not have been gushing to Malfoy about her new found attraction to him. Although, it did feel good to say it out loud.

Looking at him, it became apparent he was using most of the muscles in his face to avoid smirking.

"Go ahead. Laugh. Why I'm still say here I don't know. Though the whiskey isn't terrible I suppose," she added sullenly.

It finally slid onto his face. The dashing smirk accompanied by an arched eyebrow, "I still don't get it. You're wearing more makeup than usual, your hair is all fancy, and unless my well-trained eye is deceiving me I'd say your skirt is shorter. But…" he shrugged, "wishful thinking."

She let out a groan, her head falling into her hands.

"And if it's not for Rhodes, then you're actually saying you were coming down here, dressed like that, for my benefit?" His voice sounded full of incredulity. She couldn't bare to look at him then, her face radish red. She merely nodded into her hands, her eyes firmly closed.

"It now makes sense why you looked even more pissed off than you did last weekend when you stumbled upon me here."

"I didn't," she said, her voice muffled into her hands.

"Red, you looked ready to murder me. I'm not sure what expression you thought you had on but I had to be sure," she glanced up to see him tapping his glasses. She leant over the table to grab the bottle, pouring them both another glass. Filling his first she paused, the bottle resting on the rim of hers.

"Is this stuff expensive?"

"Nothing Albus and I can't afford," he countered taking the glass and raising it to her as she returned to half filling her own. She began swirling it idly, drinking when the silence became too unbearable.

Scorpius coughing into the suffocating silence, sitting up straighter in his chair against the back wall. He gazed at her suspiciously over the rim of his glass.

"This behaviour is highly out of character."

"What do you mean?" Rose asked quickly, the whiskey thinning her filter to near non-existent.

Scorpius got out his wand and flicked it, the door closed with a snap.

He faltered, "Uh, Liz enjoys gossip. It's in case she comes back. I'd rather you not have to suffer at mine or Al's hand any further whether directly or by association."

Rose only nodded.

"You coming down here like this," he signalled to her face and skirt, "is seriously though, the most un-Rose Weasley thing I've ever witnessed."

She swallowed, "actually this whole thing with Elliot – from start to finish – is equally out of character."

Scorpius tilted his head away, a bitter expression flirting across his face.

"I mean it though, Red. Where has this all come from all of a sudden?"

She gave an exasperated sigh, pulling herself to full height in her chair, "I broke up with him because I never really liked him."

"Right…" said Scorpius a little sceptically, leaning back casually to lift one leg over the other.

"It's true."

"Handsome, academic, Head Boy; you guys were a power couple for the ages," stated Scorpius.

"On paper, perhaps."

His eyes met hers briefly before he went back to watching his wrist tap his wand against his knee. "So you're not pulling my leg?" Rose felt in that moment that he was struggling to look at her. Had this revelation of his own made him shy?

"That would be completely out of character as well. Also, what would I have to gain from doing that?"

"Precisely. It's in my nature as a prank enthusiast to expect the worst." Although his tone was light, Rose didn't miss the implications his words held.

Rose toyed with the idea of not telling him in the way she had phrased it to herself. How she had tried to tell herself it wasn't the right time, or that it might drastically affect her schooling.

Summoning every ounce of courage she possessed, she looked him straight in the eye, purposefully leaning back in her chair to mimic his action.

"You don't exactly extend your potential. Out of choice," Scorpius' eyes grew slightly, "you're happy with how your life is, right?"

"Not sure where you're going with this, Red. You certainly wound me with that one. I guess you've got a point though." He raised a suggestive eyebrow, a small smile playing at his mouth. The usual twinkle in his eye returning.

"I'm getting there alright?" Rose said indignantly. "What I'm trying to say is, I really do admire your casual approach to life. Or at least I've started to. I can't personally commit to that sort of nonchalant lifestyle on a permanent basis but I have come to the realisation that while I might love academics and logic, I could really do with some more fun in my life."

While Rose had been talking, the small smile had grown on Scorpius' face so he was beaming at her across the table. "Was that a really convoluted, classic Ravenclaw, overwhelmingly Rose Weasley was of you suggesting that you and I hook up?" Rose flushed darker, heat blossoming in her cheeks. "Pinch me, Red. Please!" He whelped as he pinched himself. "So, I'm not dreaming?"

Rose tried to convey through an expression of hope and worry with enough sincerity it causes Scorpius to check himself.

"There you have it. My heart laid bare, Scorpius. If it means your ego is so inflated you can't fit through the door; I'll send help." Rose downed the glass in front of her as panic set in. He was joking around, again. Could he not take anything seriously for a moment?

At her comment about his ego however, Scorpius himself had turned stony faced. He shook his head, running a hand through his hair, grabbing light fistfuls at the base of his neck.

"Red, you're really giving me mixed signals. First you say you came down here for me, then it sounds like you're assuming I'm laughing it off."

"Aren't you?" she challenged, pouring yet another glass of the expensive firewhiskey.

"Of course not! It's just a lot to process. "You do realise I've fancied you for _years_? Albus might even use the word 'pinned' when describing how I was over you during fourth year."

 _Right about the time Albus started going hot and cold on me_ , she thought. She cast her gaze downwards towards the floor.

"Hearing you say that you'd be keen for us to hang out more has kind of blown my mind. You've gotta understand though," he began rubbing his glasses on his jumper, following the concentric circles with his eyes, "that I never imagined I'd be able to convince you to stoop down to my level."

Rose's head shot up suddenly, Scorpius' eyes now back to following hers. Hers narrowed.

"Are you saying that I think I'm too good for you?" She asked in a deathly hushed tone. Did he not know how much courage it had taken to get her down here?

"You are too good for me." He supplied, not missing a beat.

Her chest tightened. Every genuine and nice comment he made, washing over her, restricting her nagging insecurities. It was then she realised that perhaps Scorpius genuinely might believe that. Aside from his bravado and confidence...perhaps he too had his own insecurities.

"That's not for you to decide, Scorpius."

His mouth tugged into a satisfied little smile. A downright, unfair, boyishly charming one in Rose's opinion.

"Well then," he stuck out his tongue, biting down on its edge hungrily, "when do we start?"

The excited wings fluttering in her belly began again, their tempo tenfold more than she had previously experienced. Her last logical thought not eroded by winning smiles or witty lines stopped her from leaning over the desk towards him.

"Erm..." she bit her lip, unsure she wanted to accuse him of anything and ruin the moment, "It might sound prudish, perhaps, I don't know, but I can only do exclusive Scorpius, so if that's a problem..." her voice trailed off and she found herself furtively glancing over her shoulder as she heard distant footfalls down the corridor.

Scorpius raised an eyebrow, squeezing his way round the desk, "Red, if we are going to do this we're doing this properly. Yes I'll have to have a short, probably not entirely pleasant conversation with Liz." He struggled behind the particularly pointed corner to lean on the desk next to her, "more importantly," his breath tickled the side of her neck as he brought his face level with hers, "you think I would ask you to share, Weasley?" His face was dangerously close as she turned around to meet his face purposefully, unable to stop herself. All thoughts of Elizabeth Thomas instantly extinguished.

"Incorrigible is truly the only word to describe you," she breathed out, rolling her eyes a fraction. The footsteps behind the door sounded louder with each passing second. It was however, quite clear that neither one of them had any desire to move from their shared space.

He locked eyes and his pupils were completely blown, Rose felt the heat pool in her core at the sight of this, his attraction so obviously replicating her own she wondered why she had ever questioned it. When he spoke, it made her head fuzzy and vision blurred as she could do nothing but focus on his lips edging agonisingly slowly towards her own.

"It would be rather hypocritical of me, considering I want you all to myself," his voice sounded husky spoken so softly. Suddenly, the door handle rattled which was followed by loud rapping on the door.

Scorpius sighed, closing his eyes disappointedly. Their rather intimate moment broken.

A frantic voice sounded muffled from out in the corridor, "Scorp it's me, let me in!"

Scorpius shook his head, gazing at the freckles along her nose, "how about Hogsmede next weekend?"

"What? You and me?"

"A real date." He confirmed with a lopsided grin.

"Scorp!" Albus' voice came louder through the door. "I don't care who you've got in there, it's urgent!" Scorpius ignored him, leaning down towards Rose's face again so his liquor laced breath tickled her face. She breathed in deeply enjoying the smell immensely.

"Scorp mate, hurry up!"

"What if I'm naked?!" Scorpius called over his shoulder, not taking his eyes off hers but leaning back against the desk. Her eyes grew wide at his words.

"All the better," came Albus' dry reply, "now come on mate, open the door!"

He stood up, reaching for the handle, looking over the tops of his glasses, "you and me, Three Broomsticks, maybe Shrieking Shack?"

"No Puddifoots?" she asked in mock outrage, her heart compelling her to return his joking nature. After all they'd just agreed to go out on a proper date. If she could sing, she might have done.

"What do you take me for?" he asked as equally dramatic, his eyes dancing.

"So, a date."

"SCORP, this is FUCKING URGENT!"

"You should let him in," said Rose.

"Maybe I'll throw in a kiss for good measure."

"I wouldn't consider it a date without one," she returned, her smile stretched impossibly wide across her pink tinged face.

Seemingly satisfied, Scorpius halted Albus' banging by flicking his wand casually at the door, while turning to lean both arms back on the desk, appearing effortlessly casual.

Rose swivelled in her chair to see Albus, arm raised as if ready to continue drumming on the door, now hung mid-air where the door had previously been. His eyes flickered between the two of them before a frown knotted his brow.

"Rose?" he dropped his arm quickly, holding it behind his back. "What're you doing here?" His movement wasn't quick enough to hide what he had clearer intended. A blood stain splashed up his sleeve.

Rose took a sharp lungful of air. "Albus, is that blood?"

Scorpius, who was now busying himself behind the desk looked up, curious.

"What're you doing down here, Rose?" Albus repeated ignoring her question. His eyes rove rapidly across her chest, hovering over the spot where her Head Girl badge usually sat. They quivered there for a moment before bulging out a little to take in her full appearance.

"Oh...right." Was all Albus could manage.

Rose looked to Scorpius for help, but the other boy was preoccupied watching his friend closely.

"Mate, what was so urgent?"

"Are you guys like a _thing_ now?"

Rose bit her lip, gratefully Scorpius cut in, "we've arranged a date, nothing untoward."

His voice steady, in contrast with his now deeply wrinkled brow. He jammed his glasses up his nose.

Rose was too distracted to actually feel the flush at Scorpius words when spoken in front of Albus, instead she still watched her cousin, the other fist by his side was clenched and shaking.

"Has something happened?" she asked standing up from her chair and taking a purposeful step towards him. Albus stumbled back on the hem of his robe. He began shaking his head, eyes now wild and terrified.

Scorpius seemed to realise the extent of the problem, somehow two stepping over the desk full of papers to stand side by side with Albus, a hand squeezing his shoulder hard.

"Al, what happened?" He said, his voice commanding, matching his deathly serious expression.

Rose could only look on as Albus looked into the eyes of his friend and all the fight in him vanished. The pleading look he threw to Scorpius was explicit. Rose quashed the hint of jealous in her gut, being snubbed slightly during the exchange, her concern for Albus drowning it.

His hands were covered in blood as he brought them forward to show Scorpius. Rose rounded on him, the sight of it enough to make her feel queasy.

"This isn't your blood…" she heard herself say as if muffled through water. Albus cast her a wary glance before they softened. He shook his head.

"Then whose is it?"

Albus mouth thinned. "I don't want to be expelled."

"You won't be Al," said Scorpius with more confidence than Rose thought sensible; given the circumstances.

Al creased up his face in anguish, a silent tear crawling down his cheek.

"We're here," said Scorpius, squeezing Albus' shoulder again reassuringly. Albus shot Rose one final unsure glance before breaking down completely, his arms around Scorpius neck holding on for dear life. He began sobbing. Scorpius embraced Albus without hesitation.

If it hadn't been for the blood now running through the white cotton of Albus' shirt to Scorpius' she would have left the two boys to it, yet it was apparent that something was dreadfully wrong. Knowingly having drifted apart from Albus in their teenage years, Rose felt the need to express something in the moment to show her support as Scorpius physically propped him up beneath ragged sobs.

Her eyes flitted around the room before fixing on her half full tumbler of amber liquid. Picking it up she held it out to Albus' shoulder, nudging it gently.

"Albus, you're going to have to tell us what happened." Both the boys turned their heads to watch her then, Scorpius with a questioning eyebrow and Albus bewildered taking in Rose handing him a glass of contraband substance. At their silence, she stamped her foot causing a shooting pain up her leg.

"For fuck sake. If you don't tell me, I can't help, can I?" she asked, feeling her teeth grinding together in her mouth.

Something _had_ changed - she might be Head Girl - but Rose Weasley had found her loyalty. Blood and blond, it would seem.

"Maybe you should have found out about Scorp liking you earlier," Albus said in an undertone, wiping his eyes as he took the glass with his unoccupied hand. "We could have done with your brains a few times."

"That's not why I'm offering help." She threw a furtive glance Scorpius' way, "Just spit it out. What's happened?" She blurted impatiently, hoisting herself up onto the desk where Scorpius had been leant before.

"Merlin," Albus ran a hand through his hair. His appearance rapidly unravelling.

"This is Patrick Chambers' blood."

"What did he do?"

Albus suddenly looked uncomfortable, "I ... I erm...I wasn't on reconnaissance."

"Al, what were you doing?" asked Scorpius, holding the other boy at arm's length.

"Scamander-"

"Lorcan?"

"Lysander?"

Rose and Scorpius ask in unison.

"-Lorcan, has been after me for ages, lifting that weight telling the both of you meant I was a bit more comfortable indulging myself..." Albus trailed off, his eyes turning downcast. "Chambers found us, mind you we weren't being discrete. He was just prowling around. And..."

"What?" Rose said, urging Albus to continue.

"When he found us he went off on one completely, about how Harry Potter's son was a filthy queer."

"Shit, Albus you know that's an awful thing to say and it's not true-"

"Well it set me off, didn't it?" Albus bit out stubbornly, avoiding both of their gazes.

"Lorcan scarpered and I shot a curse at him and he hit his head on the stone wall and just crumpled. Like a puppet."

Rose bit her lip, "Was he bleeding profusely?"

"We need to get to him," said Scorpius, grabbing his cloak off the hook on the back of the door.

"Have you guys got any Essence of Dittany?" she asked.

Albus looked at her blankly and Scorpius shook his head in earnest.

"Why did I even ask? I have some in my dorm. Which floor and I'll meet you there?"

"I hid him behind the tapestry on the 5th floor – by the meadow filled with unicorns -"

Rose nodded and ran out the door without another word as the boy's watched her leave, both looking stunned.

This was not how she planned her evening to go. Maybe she _had_ gone mad. She was willingly helping them cover up another secret. Unfortunately, all reasoning had gone out the window when she combined a night drinking with Scorpius and a new found need to gain back Albus' trust. Head Girl badge be damned. Her parents had got away with a thousand times worse and were punished with merely a slap on the wrist. She could reason herself out of this one, with a previously perfect record it would be easy. _When did you start plotting like a Slytherin?_ She thought to herself. _You could do with a little more fun in your life._ Whether this was considered 'fun' she would have to wait til morning.

Rose flew through the dungeon, taking the stairs to the Entrance Hall two at a time, her footsteps echoing loudly until the much brighter light of the ground floor at the top of the dungeon stairs caused her to come to an abrupt halt in the archway.

She leant against it to catch her breath, digging in her pocket for her tie. Taking in the evidently empty entrance, she began walking purposefully across the flagstone floor and up the giant staircase. Her hands worked quickly to knot the tie around her neck in case she was spotted or bumped into a teacher. It wasn't quite late enough for even the Head Girl to get into trouble for being out past curfew but she wished to retain the perception of professionalism, especially faced with helping cover up another of Albus' misdeeds. Although, in her head as she ducked behind a second floor tapestry up a rickety wooden staircase, Rose knew she could argue in Albus' favour this time - in defence of his sexuality - what Chambers had said was never an acceptable response.

Aware that haste could quite well be necessary she broke out into a run again after stilling for a moment at the side of the exit to make sure the coast was clear. She skidded in front of the Head Dorm entrance wheezing the password. As the portrait swung forward she scrambled inside, making every effort not to trip over the hem of her robes in her haste. The fire burned low in the grate suggesting Elliot had gone to bed some time ago. This meant he wouldn't be around to ask incriminating questions. That was a small victory in itself.

The small cabinet below the sink in their shared bathroom housed a variety of simple potions and ingredients. Silently summoning a small black glass bottle labelled _'Origanum Dictamnus'_ she pocketed it and strode back out of the dormitory.

As the portrait swung closed, Rose became heavily aware of just how silent the castle was now. The torches were incredibly dim, sending shadows creeping along the walls with each breath of wind and flicker of torch light. Her breathing was laboured, so she tried taking deeper breaths as she followed the corridor round to the staircase, the stone wall a constant; grazing flush against her back.

It was like her awareness was heightened. Each step that echoed too obviously, each breath that came out between castle creaks sending her mind into overdrive. Her heart too was racing at breakneck speed, thundering the blood in her ears for the second time that night. Only this time it was adrenaline rather than crippling anxiety.

When she came to the turning on the fifth floor, a few feet beyond the tapestry Albus had mentioned she heard a shuffling. She extinguished the nearest lamp, in a futile attempt to melt into the wall and not be seen. But the shuffling got louder and louder, Rose's eyes fluttered around the corridor, trying to spot the cause of the approaching noise until it felt merely a few feet away and it stopped.

"Don't look so panicked, Red," came the voice of Scorpius Malfoy, and Rose nearly fainted. She clutched her chest as both boys appeared from under the invisibility cloak.

"I thought-James said-" she spluttered in shock of their sudden appearance, her head was beginning to spin.

"Jimmy says a lot of things," said Albus flatly, glancing around, the cloak now draped over his arm and the map in the other. His frown only deepened when he turned the map to one side, "for some reason, Willoughsworth looks like she's on a midnight stroll," Albus' voice came out hollow but there was no question about the trepidation in his lilt.

"We better be quick then," said Scorpius, casting a glance down at Rose still stuck to the wall, his mouth in a thin line but his eyes twinkling as he looked at her. His empty hand ran through his hair, his other held his wand as if ready for battle, the only nerves that showed on Scorpius were the whites of his knuckles.

The three of them crossed the corridor to the tapestry and Scorpius pulled it away from the entrance allowing the dull orange glow to fall on a lifeless body. Chambers' body.

A smearing of blood next to his head marked where it had slipped from one step to the one below. Rose's stomach gave a lurch as she took in the vision of the lifeless boy, the picture of innocence; as if he were merely sleeping.

None of them spoke. Stood around in contemplative silence as if the world had slowed for a moment and there was no pressing urgency to the situation.

Rose came to the quickest, kneeling down next to his body, "there is blood on the tapestry, I'd remove that while I see if this works." Taking out the bottle of dittany she felt someone kneel beside her in the darkened stairwell, his scent musky, and boozy as if having toyed with firewhiskey. She knew immediately it was Scorpius and she stiffened suddenly nervous under his watchful gaze.

"Are you ok, Red?" She bit down on her tongue from not letting out a helpless whimper. She just nodded, once. He helped her lift up Chambers lank body to turn him over.

She was trying so very hard not to think about her badge. The one she initially hadn't thought she'd deserved or earned. The one she had slowly felt like was meant for her. And with this swift, impulsive decision she could be throwing it all away. She felt conflicted upon seeing the victim of Albus actions compared to her previously impulsive thoughts on the matter. If they were found could she really explain this away? The warm feeling of Scorpius' shoulder against her own was just about enough to keep her grounded.

The tapestry fell forward, casting them all into complete darkness. Albus proceeded to light his wand and hold it high over the scene before them.

Rose's confidence was nullified by her shaking hands, the bottle almost slipping as she took out its cork.

"Here," Scorpius took it from her, in any other circumstance she may have protested, she was more than capable.

With surprising gentleness, Scorpius applied the dittany to the wound at the base of Chambers skull, the skin steaming and drawing together, leaving a patch that looked red raw. Her eyes fluttered up to meet his, the spectacles on the end of his nose were fogged up, her mind reeled back to her brief daydream a few days ago. She could have laughed, hysterical.

"I don't know if we need to wipe his memory." The words were out of Rose's mouth before she even knew it herself.

She felt the boy's look at her wordlessly again.

"How much did he see? Is there any chance he'd believe it if he woke up in his own bed with a headache tomorrow?" she asked.

Scorpius pulled his hand through his hair again, "Red, I don't think-"

"-it's Chambers Scorp, how do you think he'd handle it?" Albus eyed bored into the side of his friend's head but Scorpius was looking at Rose. She felt his heavy gaze and shifted uncomfortably under it.

When Scorpius didn't respond or address Rose, Albus sighed, exhausted.

"Could you do it, Rose?"

"I _could_ do it-"

"Would you do it?" Albus corrected hurriedly.

Her eyes flitted to Scorpius again, unable to keep her eyes from finding his; each time her heart jolted and she felt bile in her mouth.

"I would...but I've never done it before." The words that next formed on her tongue weren't uttered by her at all.

"But it's very much illegal." Scorpius was still looking at her, somehow both cool and concerned with a minute frown on his brow.

Rose swallowed the lump forming and her eyes felt hot and wet.

"I can do it, I think," she said, looking at Albus who wore a pleased look.

He glanced back down at the map, "it'll have to be quick, how do you even control how much memory is lost? We don't want to send him back to birth or something!" Said Albus, her heart skittered at his utterance she'd been so concerned about to begin with.

"It's all to do with the rotation of the wrist." It was Rose's turn to look at Scorpius stunned. In the heat of the moment she had forgotten his underachievement masking a racing mind.

"Ok, Willoughsworth is en route, you better do it quick," said Albus clearly becoming impatient with their sidelong looks and heavy silences that seemed to hold the world within them. Chasms stretching the length of their destined relationship...an unknown pleasure neither could indulge in just yet.

Rose looked at Albus once more, almost imploring that he would take it back. She'd never so much as broken a school rule, let alone broken wizarding law. However, Scorpius' look was one of concern and it ruled something within her. Something that hadn't been there when she'd shaken before and fumbled with the dittany, wasn't there when she couldn't fight back. It was the determination she needed, it was so blinding all thoughts of misdeeds flew immediately from her mind. This wasn't proving anything to the boys, it was proving something to herself. Strength of character. She wouldn't back out now and she shouldn't have hesitated to help her cousin in the first place. She wanted to do it.

" _Obliviate_."

Once Willowsworth had passed them hidden behind the tapestry, humming a tuneful melody, they struggled with the body under the cloak. It was a ridiculous idea to try to fit four of them beneath it. Rose had protested it was pointless, so they had instead draped the cloak over Chambers' lifeless levitating body.

Albus seemed to realise the grievance he'd had caused his cousin that evening, falling into step with her as Scorpius controlled the invisible body to hover a few feet off the ground.

"Are you ok, Rosie?" Albus asked, concerned. Rose squeeked at being addressed after travelling up two floors in silence. She didn't say anything. The adrenaline had faded, leaving her clammy and exhausted.

She saw Scorpius head turn slightly, keeping an ear out for her answer.

"Sure." She said, having no words to explain just how she was feeling. Reckless, crazy, exhilarated.

"Red-" began Scorpius sounding concerned but Albus interrupted him.

"Red? Pet names already?"

It was Scorpius' turn to flush as Rose glanced in his direction. It crept up his neck slowly and in the faintest shade of pink. Even in the dim torchlight it was unmistakable, it stirred the fire in her belly. He chose to ignore Albus and address her directly again.

"You've just gone from nought to a thousand in the space of a single evening. Are you alright?"

Rose considered this for a moment, feeling like everything that had happened had been a dream. She blew out a long lungful of air, rubbing her eyes. "I think I just need to sleep."

Scorpius nodded, "we can take it from here. You should head to bed." She turned to Albus who nodded in agreement.

"It's been a weird night for all of us." Scorpius ran his free hand through his hair. "You wanna be careful though, Rose. If your thrill seeking is exponential, you'll be trying to take over the wizarding world by the end of the month."

She gave him a tired smile.

Albus grunted, pointing at the map with his wand, "Slughorn, this time." He looked between them irritably. "Can we please carry this on tomorrow?"

Scorpius gave her another look of concern.

"I'll be fine. I'm going to go up to bed and probably wake up thinking this was all a dream," she said, feeling as though she was already in a daze.

Scorpius rounded on Albus, "you should thank your cousin. She saved our necks there."

"I did thank her!" said Albus indignantly.

"Good."

"I probably bit off more than I can chew with regard to thrill seeking," Rose spoke in a daydreamy tone, her body catching up with her mind. Her exhaustion enough to draw her away from the boys for the night. "Good night, both of you." She raised a hand in farewell.

"Goodnight. And thanks again, Rose." Said Albus hurriedly, checking the map again.

Scorpius took a step towards her, grabbing her hand and tapping her palm with his wand so that a small violet flower grew there. He moved his head so he could catch her eye, his bespectacled gaze sobered doing quite a good job of sobering her up. "That's so you don't think it was a dream. Goodnight, Red."

With that, he turned around, joining a murderous looking Albus, the map clutched tightly in his hand, "you guys need to stop already. Right, let's _go_." They both walked off quietly down the corridor, shuffling so their feet made minimal sound on the flagging.

When Rose got into bed, she realised she hadn't thanked Scorpius for the flower. She had also laid down fully dressed and had no energy to put on her pyjamas which were across the room in her trunk. Instead, she took off everything except her pants and school shirt and tugged the covers up to her chin, extinguishing the lights in her room with her wand.

The nights events were playing like a slideshow in her mind. Each striking image clear as crystal. Elizabeth Thomas, Scorpius looking dishevelled, the firewhiskey, the proposal of a date, his close proximity. The images sped up: Albus with blood on his hands, her vision blurred racing down the corridors, Scorpius' fogged glasses and the hasty 'goodnights'. She put a hand to her chest, turning her head to look at the violet on her nightstand in the moonlight.

Her heart was still racing faster than she thought it ever had done before. Yet in the dark, she smiled.

* * *

 **Well... that's that then. A huge amount of drama. The next chapter won't be for a while due to life, work and social commitments. I think they'll be two more chapters from here as well. But I've said stuff like that before and lived to regret it.  
** **Please read and review! I live for the feedback :) Much love also to every single one of you that reads this. I know reviewing can be a pain, but when I keep getting notifications of another story follower, that's rather lovely as well.**

 ****Mischief managed.****


	7. Chapter 7

**Wow. What a hiatus it's been(?) Author's note at the end.**

 **Disclaimer: JKR owns.**

* * *

They had all agreed it would be best to keep an eye on Patrick Chambers the following week.

Rose had insisted that Scorpius or herself accompany Albus to orchestra, but he refused. Albus believed that it might be more obvious if the two of them began showing a sudden interest in classical music, preferring to ride the after-school activity out alone. The two boys reconvened with Rose to inform her of anything that might be important the next day. It turned out to be very little of interest.

Albus told her with minimal enthusiasm that Chambers had been his usual self. Aggressive, smarmy and nothing out of the ordinary. Even with their slowly rekindling friendship, Rose thought Albus still didn't sound entirely convinced.

"I can keep an eye on him in double potions, if he's concussed or something, it might be easier to tell when he's doing something more practical," she suggested.

"You're saying he's competent at potions, generally?" asked Albus incredulously, as she walked with the two of them by the lake during lunchtime.

"He's more than competent," she replied hotly. Her top spot in that class was contested by that oaf every time she let her guard down. "I'll know if there is something wrong."

"There's something psychologically wrong in his head already," muttered Scorpius. "I swear, if I hear him call you queer-" he shook his head, cracking his knuckles menacingly staring down at the black water.

"You won't do anything. That's not how _we_ deal with that kind of thing," Albus shot Scorpius a knowing look as Rose looked on. "We have to keep a low profile. For a while at least." Albus said, watching Scorpius' hands with interest as they popped as each digit was pulled apart. "I appreciate the support, though."

"I support your gayness, yes." Scorpius said, kicking a pebble into the water. Rose looked at him in disbelief, his tactless phrasing taking her by surprise.

"Don't call it that," Albus said, suddenly stern. "It's not like I have a choice. I like blokes, ok. I thought you guys were being supportive."

"We are, but you're going to have to tell me why I can't use the term ' _gayness'_ -"

"You just can't, Scorp. Can you drop it?" Albus asked, clearly frustrated by his friend's flippant attitude.

Scorpius began cleaning his glasses on his robe sleeve, "not really no, mate. I have many questions-"

"Seriously?" Albus asked. He looked about ready to push his friend rather violently into the lake behind them.

The blond boy raised an inquisitive eyebrow, "what do you see in Lorcan? Do I have to give him the big brother chat?"

Albus looked appalled, "no! Don't go there."

"I'm serious."

"Stop fucking around, mate. I'm just finding my feet as it is."

Scorpius shrugged, "would you not rather it come from me? Jimmy is my alternate, after all."

Albus' face contorted in trepidation, his mind conjuring scenarios neither Rose nor Scorpius could see. "I guess you kind of have a point. But don't be jumping to those sort of conclusions, it might end up being a one-time thing," Albus trailed off giving Scorpius a sidelong look. Although, Scorpius didn't see this. He was looking at Rose who hadn't been able to help a burst of giggles at the bizarre thought of James Potter having a sit-down conversation over tea about Albus' relationship status or sexuality. James Potter didn't take anything out of the ordinary very well; hence his initial mistreatment of his younger brother being sorted into the House of Serpents.

Albus rounded on her. "It's not funny!"

"I'm laughing at him, not you!" she said indignantly, indicating Scorpius whose eyes had been sparkling behind his glasses at her. Her cheeks were pink from the sharp March wind, gratefully hiding her blush at being caught out again.

"What's going on with you two?" Albus demanded.

Rose felt Scorpius' eyes on the side of her head, it gave her enough of a push to speak with confidence and intent, "we're arranged to go on a date… nothing untoward."

"Eugh!" said Albus trudging up the path back to the castle, "you guys are disgusting. Repeating phrases the other has said."

Rose didn't need this bringing to her attention, her cheeks were already flooded with rouge. She was hot under the collar from Scorpius' closeness as they followed a few paces behind Albus, his hand swinging tangibly close to hers as they walked. It would barely take anything to curl her fingers between his. She resisted when Albus shot them another impatient look from several yards in front.

"I think he's taking this rather well," Scorpius murmured into her ear. She smiled dubiously up at him.

"Are you sure about that?" Rose asked, as she heard Albus grunt a little as he sped up.

Scorpius pursed his lips, "I'm not saying it's easy to come out to your friends and family." He said this in an undertone so only Rose could hear, "Hell, I've never had to do it. It's really not a big deal though. To us I mean," said Scorpius hastily at Rose's wary expression, "Gay or straight or into vampires, whatever. He's still my best mate."

She wondered how much she could pry before it might become obvious, "He knows that right? That you're ok with everything?"

"Yeah. When he told me I was shocked of course, but it made a lot of sense in hindsight."

Rose was puzzled. Was Scorpius inferring that he had known about Albus having an attraction to him, or that he was gay? They might sound one and the same to an outsider; in reality they weren't anything of the sort.

She dithered, plunging her hands into her pockets to stop her fiddling with the hem of her jumper. She didn't want to consider the possibility that Albus hadn't told Scorpius, his best friend, the full extent of his feelings. Yet, she was about ready to believe anything.

"What _exactly_ did Albus tell you?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, as she kept one eye on her cousin's hunched back as he neared the oak front doors.

"That he was gay. Had known for a while. Why? Did he say something to you about Lorcan?" Scorpius asked, looking concerned.

"No. Not at all," Rose croaked before gulping down all words that weren't hers to tell.

She sped up slightly, trying in vain to catch up with Albus' fast pace. Luckily, he stopped and leaned, brooding on the doorway entrance to examine his nails as she shuffled beside him. She pushed aside thoughts of Scorpius' hypothetical wandering hands in favour of attempting to fix Albus with a questioning stare before jerking her head in Scorpius' direction.

Albus looked up at her as she did this and had the good grace to look slightly embarrassed, averting his eyes towards the ceiling but she didn't get a chance to say anything. Approaching closer to her cousin, she felt a gentle tap on her elbow.

She turned to see a tiny Hufflepuff student, who must have been barely five feet tall.

As Scorpius approached their group she heard him ask Albus in not such a hushed tone if they'd ever been that small, to which Rose scowled over her shoulder at them as the small girl gave a squeak. Rose could empathise with the youngster. Once upon a time it felt rather intimidating addressing older students, especially when you were still finding your feet.

Rose smiled genuinely down at her as the girl held out a scroll of parchment wordlessly.

"Thank you. What's your name?"

The girl positively quivered.

"It's ok, we don't bite or anything," Rose joked good naturedly.

"Unless it's the full moon," interjected Albus, having appeared to have gained back some of his bravado at the manifestation of the little first year. Rose shot him another furious look to which he responded with a smirk before baring his teeth wolfishly.

"A-a-Abigail, Miss Head Girl," Rose looked down at the badge on her chest dispassionately before returning her attention back to the younger girl.

"There is honestly no need to sound scared!" Rose then knelt down to the girl's eye level, "who is the note from?"

"The Headmistress," she replied.

She saw Albus and Scorpius turn to each other in her periphery and she tried not to take heed of it. And yet she still felt her throat constrict slightly.

 _Don't jump to conclusions._

"Oh well in that case, you've done an excellent job!" She said, surprising herself that she only came across sounding kind rather than patronising. The feigned praise seemed to uplift the girl somewhat. "I wouldn't look so worried, you'll be where we are before you know it."

The girl's eyes flitted between her and the boys stood in the doorway, "I-it's not that. McGonagall scares the pants off me," Abigail gushed, her eyes wide like saucers.

"She still scares the pants off me," Scorpius said from behind her. Rose tried her hardest to hide her amused smile along with an all too familiar roll of her eyes. Scorpius' sense of humour seemed to slowly be cracking her previously impervious armour.

Her expression thankfully went unnoticed by Abigail who it appeared had been distracted by the newcomer in the conversation.

Rose sighed, "you get used to her. She's definitely softer than she appears initially. Thank you again for the note Abigail." Rose stood up, brushing lint of the knees of her tights.

"You're welcome," the girl dithered and for one awful, uncomfortable moment Rose thought she might curtsy. Then she ran off into the hall her pigtails flying behind her.

Feeling the boy's gaze on her with the absence of a distracting first year, Rose unfurled the letter as confidently as she could, taking care to put her body in the way of their potential wandering eyes.

 _Miss Weasley,_

 _Please come to my office at lunch, or your earliest convenience._

 _Headmistress McGonagall_

She stared down at the paper for a few moments. Letting the words settle. If it was something serious the older woman would have been more forthcoming she thought, trying to be rational. For she was more concerned about this new-found enlightenment of Albus' ability to lie than what the Headmistress could possibly want with her. His sheer length of deception towards his best friend certainly irked her more than it should.

She now felt trapped between the two of them. Her new, untested feelings for Scorpius a potential timebomb.

Merlin, she was beginning to _hate_ secrets.

"Rose?" she heard Albus ask, sounding slightly agitated.

She rolled the note back up and stored it in her robe pocket. Pushing out a frustrated breath, drawing the hair away from her face before she faced the two of them.

"It's just a note from McGonagall. Nothing to worry about."

They exchanged a look, and this time Rose didn't hide the roll of her eyes.

"Are you sure, Rose?" Scorpius queried, looking apprehensively at the pocket she had hidden the scroll in.

She looked fixedly at Albus, as she addressed Scorpius. Her gaze bearing all disappointment, her frown all her frustration. "I'm sure. You guys shouldn't miss lunch." With that, she turned on her heel towards the marble staircase.

"Rose!"

She carried on walking. Her heart hammering suddenly at the sound of his voice.

" _Rose!"_ she wheeled round, Scorpius raising an eyebrow at her annoyed expression.

"What, Scorpius?"

"I-," he looked up at her from the bottom step, in that instance she had no idea what to say to him. It wasn't his fault. He didn't know what was going on in her head just then. The internal war of relieving the truth upon him or holding her tongue. The latter, unfortunately for her, was her honest and familial instinct. As far as he was concerned, she was pissed off at being summoned to McGonagall, the extreme potential of the circumstance culminating in the removal of her head badge.

Scorpius levelled himself on the step, his polished shoes reflecting the sunlight. They glinted smartly. She glanced down at them, distracted. Anything to avoid his gaze. She didn't want to look at him just then. She felt like an accessory to Albus' falsehood, it would be overwhelmingly apparent if she caught his eye. He'd know.

"Sorry." Her head dropped further, "I have no idea what the note is about," she pushed her hair over her shoulder chancing a glance at him. "I'd just rather get it over with." Her eyes found a spot on his cashmere jumper. He didn't speak but she saw him nod. Her face fractured into a smile before she turned and continued climbing the stairs.

Rose somehow made it to the stone gargoyle without bumping into anyone she knew. Her mind was wildly conjuring up all the other possible things McGonagall might wish to speak to her about that didn't involve either her cousin or his best friend.

There was a pause before the Headmistress called through the door.

She pushed the door open gingerly, coming to stand next to the closest high-backed chair. The older woman was sat behind her desk, scratching at a piece of abused looking parchment with an elegant amber quill. Her glasses perched so close to the end of her nose they were threatening to drop off.

"Good afternoon, Professor."

McGonagall glanced up above her spectacles, her expression softening upon seeing the younger woman. "Good afternoon, Miss Weasley. Please take a seat."

Although initially calmed by the look McGonagall gave her, Rose couldn't help but gnaw at her bottom lip nervously. She felt like she might say something incriminating if she opened her mouth. She'd been blurting things out far too much in the past few days.

McGonagall's regard of her turned impatient as she shuffled the parchment on her desk, stuffing it unceremoniously into a draw in the desk. She tapped it with her wand and Rose heard it close with a loud crack.

"My dear girl, have a cup of tea."

A teapot materialised between them on the now clutter-free desk with a small plate of ginger biscuits. After two cups of steaming tea had been poured by the hovering pot, she pushed her glasses up her nose finally; surveying Rose with a look that reminded her of a cat about to devour some small mammalian prey.

"You don't seem like yourself, Miss Weasley." McGonagall spoke softly, taking a sip of tea. Rose felt the knot of trepidation tighten in her stomach.

"I'm not sure what you mean, Professor."

"I've noticed recently in my class and Professor Vector informs me of much the same. You seem – for loss of a better word – distracted."

The past weeks events flashed behind her eyelids and Rose struggled to keep her face the picture of composure. She clutched at the first defence she could think of, "my grades are still-"

"Exemplary, yes." The flush of gratitude she would normally have felt was dowsed with the suffocating insecurity of the unknown. Why she had been summoned here, she was still completely unsure of.

Professor McGonagall took a biscuit from the plate and examined it. She sighed, turning it over in her wrinkled fingers, "as much as I take the education of the students at this school very seriously. I've learnt over many years that we must also consider their well-being and mental stability as well."

Rose, momentarily distracted by McGonagall questioning her own "mental stability", forgot all about her issues with the two Slytherin boys in her life. Instead, her mind was reeling over how obvious it had been that her mind hadn't been focused on her studies. Whether her grades remained steadfast or not.

"Therefore, my main concern is how you have been conducting yourself. Almost as if in a trance. I called you here as council, not as interrogation dear girl, so would you please stop worrying your for-heaven's sake."

Rose pursed her lips together immediately, clamping her teeth. Rose knew she felt more discontent than she should in the circumstances. She began fiddling with her hands in her lap instead, trying to think of something polite to say.

"I'm not sure I need council Professor, with all due respect."

Professor McGonagall seemed to ignore this comment and lifted the plate of biscuits to Rose, "have a ginger nut, Miss Weasley. I remain concerned."

Rose swallowed half her biscuit loudly.

"Because you are one of the very few seventh years whose future, post-Hogwarts isn't known to myself or the staff." Rose felt her heart throb painfully. "I have not yet received a request for a reference nor have I heard anything from your parents of what you may have chosen to pursue in the future."

"My parents?" asked Rose, her voice wavering a little.

"It isn't a secret that we frequent each other's company at least once a month. The Order had much to celebrate once upon a time." The older woman's eyes glazed over for a moment.

"The Order meetings? Yes, my mother had mentioned them."

A small scoff sounded, and for a moment Rose wondered if it had been McGonagall herself who had made the noise. Then, however a voice spoke from the wall behind the Headmistress.

"Of course you'd let a Weasley talk to you like that Minerva." The image of Severus Snape drawled from his painting, leaning on the gilded frame.

McGonagall ignored the portrait of Snape, a look of mild contempt passing over her brow, "but you knew I attended these meetings, Rose?"

Albus Dumbledore's painting chimed in causing McGonagall to turn sharply in her chair, "Miss Weasley…for such a bright girl you don't use your imagination, do you?" asked Dumbledore, his twinkling eyes matching his starry robes of purple and gold.

Rose's teeth were stuck together with crystalline ginger so she had no way of replying to Dumbledore, nor defending herself to Snape.

Professor McGonagall's head tilted to one side, her eyes closed impatiently, "Albus, I asked you in confidence for advice, not your input when my student is present!"

Dumbledore's portrait blinked before smiling warmly down at Rose, "sorry, Minerva. As you wish."

Rose watched Snape stride haughtily into Dumbledore's painting and whisper something into his ear. Both looked back at Rose sat opposite them. She felt like she was being scrutinised by the two men in the painting and hastily looked away. It always made Rose feel uneasy being surveyed by living portraits; the fact that the paintings themselves often seemed to be as smart and perceptive as their once flesh counterparts enough to make her feel uncomfortable in her own skin.

"My apologies for that interruption, Miss Weasley. As you may have gathered, by my observation you do not seem to have settled on a career choice. Is that correct?"

"I've never really been sure, Professor," she confessed. McGonagall's eyes widened as Rose continued, "I've always wanted to do well and learn. I never had a desire to follow one thing in particular though." Rose fidgeted in her seat again, picking at the sleeves of her robes feeling very self-conscious at this rather unambitious admission.

"Would you not consider one particular subject a favourite?"

Rose cast a furtive look at the portraits still watching her, "perhaps History of Magic?"

The side of McGonagall's mouth twitched, "for the life of me, I can never understand why people can't admit their love for that particular subject. I've worked with Professor Binns for almost forty years. The man has seen more history than in most of your books."

Rose didn't resist the small smile that formed at McGonagall's subtle derision at Professor Binns.

"Have you ever considered teaching?"

Caught by surprised at the Professor's question, Rose took a moment to consider it.

"No Professor. I can't say that I have," she replied.

McGonagall pursed her lips, leaning her chin on her hands, "do you love history? Museums? Architecture?"

Rose found herself nodding enthusiastically. "My parents, well my mum-," the Professor openly smirked, "-took me to Pompeii in Italy to see Sinoppoli's estate, form the Italian renaissance."

The older woman, squinted over her spectacles. "Have you considered the magical Historian route?" she asked. "International wizarding history has been poorly documented for British Wizards."

Feeling exuberant at this yet unheard of suggestion, Rose's mind was reeling with ideas and questions. A practical thought halted her future imaginings. "I don't know how I would go about getting a job doing that Professor. I wouldn't know where to start."

"I have someone in mind to whom I could give your details. I imagine it would involve a short commission piece so that they had faith in your writing ability."

Rose thought of Scorpius and his plans to travel. She shook her head to try and rid herself of the image of him pushing a gondola as she laughed sat in the long boat. That thought seemed excessive - too much, too fast.

"It would involve travelling?" Rose asked a little too keenly. McGonagall surveyed her again with a probing stare.

"I will pass on the message."

Rose tried (and failed) not to feel uneasy at McGonagall avoiding her question.

"I'd like to revisit our previous conversation if I may, Miss Weasley?"

"Erm… of course professor." Rose muttered, her earlier anxiety flaring up again.

"Are there any distractions? Outside of class?" she queried.

She already knew McGonagall would see right through her hesitance, "not really."

Her Professor regarded her once again, a deep crease forming between her eyes. "Professor Craven tells me you've rekindled your friendship with Mr Potter and by association; Mr Malfoy."

Immediately, Rose knew her blush would be impossible to hide unless she extinguished all the lamps in the room. In all her years of experience, McGonagall might think it an ambush and Rose could be dead in seconds. She lent her elbows on the table, putting a safe distance between her own fidgeting hands and the wand tucked up her robe sleeve.

She was definitely going mad.

McGonagall surveyed her reddened cheeks with intrigue, an eyebrow raising up to her greying hairline. For a fleeting second, Rose thought she saw her eyes flicker.

"Contrary to Mr Malfoy's belief, I'm aware of how intelligent he is and how much wasted potential he carries." Rose felt her jaw hit the stone floor as she heard her own words echoed back to her by McGonagall. She had to hand it to McGonagall, the woman was a remarkably perceptive judge of character.

"I fear he wanted to be so unlike his father that his laziness might be his downfall instead. How unfortunately ironic."

Rose bit down on her tongue to stop the words from spilling out, and failed miserably. "What might that have to do with me being distracted, Professor?"

McGonagall was merely observing the fall-out of how she was dealing with Scorpius and Albus' issues, she was supposed to be attempting to keep her from becoming privy to them.

"Those boys have cause as much trouble as Fred and George Weasley did when they attended this school together. I would hate for them to have a negative impact on the last few months of your Hogwarts journey."

 _Too late._

Although suddenly defensive, Rose sat up in her seat, considering the words the older woman had just spoken. Letting them wash over her.

So, she wasn't about to be expelled. The Headmistresses concern was more on the side of academic progress than flagrant rule breaking. A sudden confidence instilled in Rose. Gradually at first, and then expanding to fill her chest as the feelings of inadequacy faded. Had they gotten away with it? She couldn't be sure. But the dust settling on their conversation with none of the truths even touched on, she swiftly recognised the sensation between her ribs.

Relief.

"I've started having more interactions with them, certainly. I will make sure to keep my grades at the level they are at now, Professor."

McGonagall's eyebrows rose in shock, threatening to interweave with the rest of her hair.

Snape spoke again from his painting, "she's hiding something. What insolence? What way to talk to a Profess-"

" _Severus!_ Don't make me use the curtain again!" exclaimed McGonagall gesturing towards the violet hangings around his and Dumbledore's portraits'. Turning around to face her again, she fixed Rose with a familiar shrewd look. It placated Rose's for some reason. It was a look McGonagall wore exceptionally. "You're certain?"

Rose pursed her lips a little, unsure of how much it would take for McGonagall to accept her understanding and stop probing. Having not trained in Occulmency and wanting to leave on a relatively positive note, she tried her hardest not to think about the broom cupboard scheme in that moment. And of the guilt that still came along with it.

And yet there was a different sense of guilt. One that came from deceiving her teacher who had put trust and faith in her.

"There was some tension with me and Albus for some time is all," Rose assumed McGonagall might interrupt but she didn't. "We managed to resolve it rather recently. I'm trying to make more time for him in my life –" _stop talking,_ "-I guess with Albus and Scorpius it's sort of a two for one deal."

Now _that_ was a little too close to home.

"I need you to promise me Miss Weasley, if you're sure there is nothing else you wish to tell me?"

The weight of everything kept her in her seat. Kept her from bolting out the door. It took everything Rose had to keep her expression neutral as she fixed her gaze with McGonagall's. She nodded.

McGonagall eased herself back into her throne-like chair. A satisfied smile stretching across her lined face.

"If this may be, I want to assure you that if the stress is getting too much; your mental health is important to us. Madame Longbottom is aware of the situation of final year students. She is available for such help, council or potion if necessary. They aren't call _Nastily Exhausting_ for nothing, Miss Weasley."

Trying to find a shred of hope in her Professor's words, Rose left with as calm a thank you as she could manage and hurried down the spiral staircase. It wasn't until she was out in the corridor that she let out an exhausted sigh.

How was it possible they had gotten away with it? Or was McGonagall in the know and wanted Rose to admit it herself? It couldn't be. If she'd known, Rose wouldn't have been allowed out of there without at least detentions every night until she graduated.

It appeared Scorpius had been lurking close by. Rose had a moment to see a flash of musty blonde hair, feel a warm hand in her own before she was pulled into the nearest empty classroom.

Her protests were muffled as he placed his other hand over her mouth. She knew she shouldn't, but she felt an incredible thrill from it. His face was mere inches from hers, and if his hand wasn't over her mouth his face would have been dizzyingly close. The last rational part of her was maddened by both his effect on her and his inability to believe she could have handled it on her own.

"Did you follow me?" she whispered, forcibly pushing at his chest to make some distance between them.

Scorpius at least, had the decency to look a little ashamed. "I was a little concerned, I must admit."

"Don't you trust me?"

He looked at her, his eyes were guarded. "Of course. It's just, McGonagall is about as intimidating as they come. I swear she can read my mind when she looks at me."

Rose was reminded of McGonagall's words about Scorpius. How she too saw through his cavalier façade.

"Well it wasn't anything I couldn't handle, Scorpius," she said, seriously. An uncomfortable urge to remind him she was head girl reared it's ugly head. She decided on the truth. "She did warn me off the two of you. Said you might be a bad influence."

Scorpius' teeth flashed. "Too late."

"I'm not making a habit of it though," she said, her grave tone wavering as he encroached closer, her back flush to the wall. Even though the image was still raw in her mind, she couldn't help get caught up in Scorpius' closeness and the fact McGonagall still clearly didn't have a clue.

"Me neither. Our pranks don't endanger lives! And the broom cupboard thing is tame by comparison!"

"What was Albus thinking?" she asked, more to the space between them than the boy stood in front of her.

Scorpius leaned back on his heels, running a hand through his hair, "he's definitely been more hot-headed recently." He shrugged.

"I doubt the stress of coming out is helping matters," Rose pondered quietly, examining her shoes with growing interest.

"It'll be nice to get away."

Rose's head snapped up to meet his gaze, his own lingered for a moment on her lips, a small smirk playing at his own. She felt her belly flip an impressive forward vault.

" _Scorp!_ "

Scorpius grinned and shook his head, as Albus' bodiless voice echoed from the corridor, "we might get ten minutes on our own in Hogsmeade, eh?"

Her own mouth tugged to one side and her eyes crinkled in an effort to not smile back at him. "Yeah, maybe."

Rose heard herself give an involuntary yelp as Albus burst through the classroom door. They sprang apart, even though they weren't even touching to begin with. Albus' eyes remained on Scorpius for a moment before darkening. "I'll wait outside."

She didn't have a moment to ponder any of it. What McGonagall had said about her grades. The fact her cousin could well be in love with the guy she was _definitely_ starting to have feelings for. Whether Chambers did recall anything from the previous night.

She didn't have time to think about the implications of anything.

Or even time to think about her future, as – what was beginning to feel like a more regular occurrence – the blonde boy adjusted his glasses, grasped Rose's hand again and began guiding her towards the exit.

"We're coming!"

* * *

 **Well... it's been a long time. Honestly, life just got in the way. AND, I fell into writing a five-piece fic for Stranger Things. Oops.  
** **My focus is now back on this story, but I'm having to re-read it with a tooth comb myself to check everything I've written! I hope anyone still reading this can still remember/follow it.**

 **As for this chapter in particular,** **I had to let Rose off some drama for at least one chapter, didn't I?**

 **Reviews always welcome.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer - JKR owns.**

* * *

The girls had already started planning the Hogsmeade weekend the week before. As if they didn't do the exact same thing each visit. Shannon, the usual instigator had averted their focus from school work on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the typical, extended plans. Traditionally they would head into the small wizarding town together as a trio to browse the shops and stop for a drink in the Three Broomsticks. Sometimes they would linger over a second drink before heading back up to the school to do some more reading before tea. Shannon would more often than not, delay plans for at least an hour wanting to check the sale rack in Twilworth and Tats. Even Jasmine could be distracted by Simon Finnegan's offer to purchase a follow up round of drinks for them as they were about to put on their cloaks. The girl didn't get out much, and the pound-galleon exchange was at an all-time low, which did nothing for her muggle savings. Jasmine had insisted that was her only reason for accepting the offer of another drink.

"I guess we're just doing the usual then?" Shannon inquired. Her voice low, carrying only so their group could hear. They'd managed to find a relatively secluded table in the library,and had avoided detection by any other student all afternoon.

"Hogsmeade, you mean? The only place we're allowed to visit outside of the castle grounds during term time? That Hogsmeade?" asked Jasmine sarcastically, not looking up from her textbook, as she idly flicked through the pages.

Shannon raised a questioning eyebrow, "yes. Wand in a knot much?" She pointed at Jasmine over her shoulder with her thumb while addressing Rose. "If we don't get old grouchy here out of the castle, she's in real danger of contracting a vitamin D deficiency." Rose grinned despite herself.

"I'm grouchy because unlike you Shannon, I really want to have this Charms work done before tea." Jasmine crossed out a line of her essay, "besides, you can take bicorn horn as a vitamin D supplement."

Shannon _tsk_ ed. "I knew we shouldn't have bought you that _Healer in Training_ book. Well, we're going." Shannon stretched out her neck, inclining in her seat to get a better look down the row of bookshelves, clearly too distracted to continue working. She glanced back at Jasmine, pursing her lips. "I overheard Finnegan inquiring if he'd be able to purchase his usual round."

Rose saw Jasmine's eyes still on the page, but she didn't look up. Her quill somehow kept scrawling.

Shannon rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "You don't want to disappoint him now do you?"

Jasmine frowned, finally looking up from her work, "I'm not going to Hogsmeade for Finnegan's benefit."

"Oh _really_?" Shannon challenged, cocking her head. "So, you delight the Irishman in your company each visit since fourth year _only_ because of him bribing us to stay with a round of drinks?"

To Rose's surprise, Jasmine took the bait. Her cheeks suddenly flushed.

"It's accepting a friendly offer, not bribery. And just that we happen to end up in the same place. There is only one habitable pub in Hogsmeade after all." Jasmine offered, defensively.

Shannon looked unconvinced, "so you would stay there of your own accord, without the offer of a drink?"

"Perhaps. If we had time." Said Jasmine, averting her gaze back to her parchment, attempting and failing to sound disinterested.

Shannon exaggerated the roll of her eyes, "for Circe's sake Jaz, would it hurt your pride that much to admit there's a thing?"

"There is no _thing_ between me and Finnegan," insisted Jasmine, although the darkening colour in her cheeks might have suggested otherwise.

"Fine," muttered Shannon, quite obviously annoyed by her evasive friend, "what about you, Rose?" she asked turning her gaze towards her, suddenly startled at being addressed directly. She had been watching the ongoing exchange with quiet amusement, trying to keep out of it.

Rose had a suspicion that Jasmine could well like Simon Finnegan. But the girl was always rather closed off, and Rose had never wanted to pry or push her for answers she wasn't comfortable giving freely. She, on the other hand was more often the sharing type, and Jasmine usually played the part of the patient listener well. Rose wondered for a moment if that made her a bad friend. That she'd not asked, even without being accusatory about her friend's potential love interest. Unlike Shannon who couldn't contain her budding curiosity. Regardless, she admired Jasmine's self-respect when it came to Finnegan. Rose believed her when she said she wasn't going for his benefit, assuming it was a welcome bonus that he was happy to flirt over a butterbeer with her.

Rose having avoided Shannon's questioning gaze felt her throat tighten. She hadn't told either of the girls she had agreed to go with Scorpius to Hogsmeade yet.

"What about me?"

"You and Malfoy?" Shannon urged, scooting closer in her chair, "don't go quiet on me too." She shot Jasmine an irritated glance before addressing Rose again, "if you don't someone else will probably get him to take them."

Rose heard the faintest of sighs from Jasmine who still kept her eyes to her work.

She reluctantly met Shannon's gaze who was looking on expectant. "Well yeah, about that…"

Shannon's eyes grew comically wide as she reached out silently to shake Rose's arm urgently. As if this would shake loose the secret Rose was withholding from her.

Rose avoided Shannon's gaze again, nibbling the end of her quill, suddenly embarrassed about it all. About how she had been ignorant to Scorpius' feelings. About how she hadn't seen the broom cupboard scheme under her nose. And about how she now somehow had procured some feelings for Scorpius that still felt awfully new and confusing.

Rose took a sharp intake of breath, "I might have agreed to go with him to Hogsmeade actually."

Jasmine stilled, looking up through her dark eyelashes, quill paused mid-scrawl. Beside her, Shannon released her arm and slammed her hands down on the table causing Jasmine's inkpot to jump a few inches off the table. The ink that splashed over the title of her essay went unnoticed.

"When were you going to tell us?" Shannon demanded, in a newly hushed tone upon hearing semi-aggressive shushing from a few shelves away.

Jasmine, seemingly not noticing the seeping ink sat back in her chair, "yes, Rose." Her voice was awfully serious, causing the knot in Rose's gut to tighten. "When were you going to tell us?" Rose averted her gaze purposefully. Guiltily.

After a rather pregnant pause, she coughed abruptly, "we sort of agreed to it on Saturday."

Shannon raised her eyebrows, blinking overtly, "well today is Tuesday and you didn't think to bring it up before then?"

"We've had a lot on," said Rose, knowing full well it was a crappy excuse.

"We've only hung out every day since then, which is rare these days anyway!"

Rose bit her lip, "well he was casually seeing someone else, so-"

"Of course, he was," muttered Jasmine, knowingly. Rose felt an unexpected stab of anger in her chest. Jasmine knew Scorpius even less than she did.

Rose tried to ignore Jasmine's comment, "I didn't want to assume anything until that was sort of…taken care of," she admitted, feeling a wave of embarrassment again.

Shannon smirked a little, "and he's leaving her for you?"

Rose flushed, "it's not like that. At least I don't think it is. I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't believe he was going to end it with her. I told him I would only go with him if it were exclusive. I might have turned the tables a bit, actually giving Scorpius a chance, but I'll still not be one of many or anything."

Jasmine didn't even try to hide the roll of her eyes, "did you even speak to McGonagall?"

"What on earth does Rose seeing Malfoy have to do with dear old Minnie? Come on Rose," Shannon pleaded, "some details, please!"

Rose shuffled uncomfortably under Jasmine glare. Shannon, who appeared to notice, but clearly wasn't aware of exactly why Rose felt uncomfortable reached forward and squeezed her hand, "please." Rose cracked the smallest of smiles. "I'm in a complete drought of gossip. And I want to hear about it because you're my friend-"

"Did you go to McGonagall?" Jasmine interrupted. Rose's smile vanished.

The problem with Jasmine was that she didn't do things by halves. And while Rose was all too happy to defend her friend it was often occasions such as this that caused conflict within their group. When Jasmine set her mind to something it was incredibly rare you could change her stance on the matter. However trivial. If she was drinking, she would drink like a sailor. If she was working, she would work til the early hours for the extra credit every time. And if she thought for a moment Rose was going to go to McGonagall to inform her of Albus and Scorpius' antics, Rose knew she had better have a good enough excuse as to why she hadn't.

Rose sat down her quill and drew a hand across her face. Shannon studied the two of them for a moment before laughing lightly. "Am I missing something?"

Jasmine merely raised her eyebrows in silent judgement.

Rose knew she shouldn't be mad at Jasmine. By all accounts, she was right to think she should have confessed everything to McGonagall. As Head Girl is was definitely the right thing to do. But now, her new-found feelings for Scorpius apparent, it was going to be difficult to defend her choice in not telling her. Everything would circle back to how she was letting them get away with it. And all reasoning would point to her letting Scorpius off because he had charmed his way around it. Strictly speaking this wasn't true at all. Rose, having listened to their reasoning couldn't help but agree that students would do it without any input from Scorpius or Albus. The school's teenage population would forever try to find quiet corners for fooling around, because that's what teenagers do. Yet Rose knew she couldn't explain away the money changing hands, the illicitness of it all. She didn't have even a feeble excuse to explain that away. All her energy had gone into making sure she hadn't said anything about Albus' attack on Chambers. And she knew that she couldn't possibly tell either of the girls that.

Rose considered for a moment how she was going to approach the subject. How she might avoid an argument with Jasmine in the process. She sighed, suddenly feeling more tired than she had in months.

"Did you know about the broom cupboard scheme?" She rubbed at her tired eyes.

Shannon merely looked blankly between her friends, a knot forming along her brow.

"Al and Scorpius were in charge of it?" she continued. Shannon raised an eyebrow and shook her head.

Rose swallowed, Jasmine's eyes on her felt like a heavy weight. "You've never paid anyone to leave you alone in a broom cupboard with a guy?"

Shannon barked out a laugh of disbelief, "no need." She shook her head, considering both girls for a moment before relenting. "Sunday nights, Trelawney vacates the divination room in favour of a nightly stroll down to the grounds. And there is a rather ample sized chez long behind a curtain in the back. Ambient lighting. I've never had a need for a broom cupboard, Rose." Shannon added a little smug.

Rose nodded, letting the information sink in. "So you've never even heard of it?"

"A broom cupboard scheme? Maybe whispers. I just assumed it was a load of rubbish. And I wasn't about to indulge my sweet spot to anyone besides the few blokes I might invite up there."

"Oh, alright." Rose spared Jasmine a glance who she found still staring transfixed at her. "Don't look at me like that, please."

"You didn't tell McGonagall." Jasmine said evenly.

"Alright I'm still a tad lost-"

Jasmine looked incredulously at Rose, and all she could do was not shrink into her chair, "You want me to spell it out for you?" She tossed down her quill and leant across the table scowling, "Rose found out about this broom cupboard scheme. Promised she'd tell McGonagall and is now essentially going along with it!" Another stab of anger hit Rose squarely in the chest.

"I still don't-"

"I never promised that. I said I'd speak to Albus. And I'm not going along with it-" Rose replied hastily, trying not to let her temper dictate her for once.

"What did you do then?" Jasmine asked sardonically, folding her arms.

"McGonagall wanted to talk about careers," muttered Rose angrily under her breath. "I wasn't about to just bring it up!"

"Wait," said Shannon, holding up her hands between them in an attempt at ceasefire, "this scheme was Al and Scorpius' doing? And you're going along with it?"

"I'm not going along with it!" Rose found herself insisting, against her better judgement. "I'm just… turning a blind eye. People will always try to fool around in school where we have limited privacy-"

"That sounds like their spiel to me."

Rose found her temper rising. Indignation spurring her on. She tried hard not to think about Albus, and everything she knew. All the secrets she shouldn't be privy to. It made the anger flare ever hotter than before. "Maybe it is!" she snapped, "but it could be considered reasonable if you just-"

"You're seriously just going to ignore it because now it's in your interest to keep Malfoy in your good books?" said Jasmine, her tone layered with derision and disappointment.

Rose wondered fleetingly why she hadn't just stayed in her room to study.

"Hold on, can one of you just start from the beginning?"

"I can't believe you're going along with this, Rose." Jasmine shook her head, her eyes furious.

"Oh for gods sake Jasmine, would it kill you to just let it be? I'm trying to make something positive for myself for once."

Jasmine lifted her eyes heavenward, "Isn't Head Girl enough for you now?"

"Maybe it isn't," Rose spat. Her temper flared again and she spoke without an ounce of forethought, "I realised that perhaps I could have a bit of actual fun with Scorpius, for crying out loud Elliot wasn't exactly a choice based on genuine attraction. And yes, Scorpius might be kind of aloof, but he's not and never had tried to pretend to be someone else. And surprisingly he's got his head screwed on to his shoulders more than most people might believe-"

"Oh I bet you found alllll that out on your Saturday night excursion!" scoffed Jasmine, gritting her teeth. Shannon, for once looked at a loss for words. Rose stared for a moment at Jasmine, her mind conjuring up cruel things she might say if she hadn't been biting down on her tongue. She felt hurt that Jasmine wasn't supporting her in this. She hadn't even given her a chance to defend herself.

"Maybe if you actually ever tried to have a bit of fun, Finnegan might actually ask just you out for a fucking drink!"

Jasmine's face fell unexpectedly blank. And Rose immediately felt the seed of regret take root in the pit of her stomach.

"Jasmine I'm sorry. That was uncalled for," she began, raising her hand to her forehead, her head beginning to throb.

Jasmine had begun to pack away her things silently, Rose didn't have a clue what else to say. "Actually, it was pretty fucking accurate, Rose." Said Jasmine coldly, pulling her bag onto her shoulder and disappearing quickly down the book shelves.

"Shit." Rose breathed out. Regret overwhelming her. She cradled her head in her hands, willing Shannon to speak, to say absolutely anything into the gapping silence left in Jasmine's wake. "I should go after her, shouldn't I?"

"I'd let her cool of a bit," came Shannon's reply. Rose was grateful she didn't sound at all admonishing. "I've been unnecessarily pestering her about Finnegan for a few weeks while you've been a bit off the radar. It's probably the final nail in the coffin for her y'know?"

"Still I shouldn't have said-"

Shannon waved her arm at her, "she'll be fine. She hangs out with me most of the time. She's got a thick skin." Shannon turned to watch the spot Jasmine had left. "I just don't think she wanted to admit she fancied Finnegan. And the fact she's probably fancied him for years. I mean, she's worse than you when it comes to guys."

"Thanks," said Rose, unable to see if there was anything positive to take from that.

"And Finnegan doesn't exactly help. You'd think over two years, and him being a Gryffindor he'd have just come out and asked her straight, wouldn't you?"

"Hmmm," Rose nodded in agreement, the regret and shame of snapping needlessly at her friend blossoming, filling her chest uncomfortably.

"But this," Shannon nodded at Rose, looking a little concerned. She sat her elbow on the desk and her chin in her up righted hand, "this isn't like you."

Rose blinked, reluctant to go over all of it again with someone. She'd had to contend with Albus, Jasmine and even Scorpius himself being dubious about the two of them together. She had managed to convince herself, only to have a ludicrous amount of backlash that she was certain wouldn't evoke this much drama for anyone else.

Shannon eyed her friend again, tilting her head in question, "you sure you're ok with this? Like… you're not trying to convince yourself or anything? With Malfoy I mean."

Rose contemplated the question for a moment. She'd had this internal argument already. How was it she found herself second guessing, again?

"I hadn't known about Scorpius. We've always had these moments where I've been left feeling weird. And it wasn't until just over a week ago that I realised that "weird" somehow translated to some bizarre attraction I'd tried to hide under multiple excuses. I mean I knew I didn't want to be just another notch on his bed post. It was more like this realisation that he'd been there the whole time, and perhaps I should give him a chance? Besides, he just doesn't take anything too seriously, and up until recently I didn't realise just how valuable that sort of attitude can be."

Shannon beamed, "and that's exactly Scorpius Malfoy."

"Eugh I probably sound so air-headed."

"On the contrary, I wholeheartedly agree that you could have much more fun, and if having fun means doing Scorpius Ma-" Rose elbowed her friend in the torso and she doubled over, her grin still plastered across her face.

"He's just been around, you know?" Rose said, spreading her hands, "and his presence has gone from something akin to maddening to something much more… welcomingly familiar."

"That'll only be the six shared school years and the same number of summers basically spent at your grandparents. You've hung out unwittingly a surprising amount."

Rose leant her head on her curled fist laid on the table, "how had _I_ not noticed this?"

Shannon shrugged, the smile playing cautiously at her lips, "you got Head Girl, you had all that stuff with Elliot. Did I mention Head Girl duties-"

"I do feel like I've neglected you both, especially recently." Rose found herself confessing, not having intended to turn the conversation this way. Pilling on another layer of guilt.

"We all knew it was likely, given your position as Head Girl this year. We definitely make the most of the time we do have though, I wouldn't worry about that. And Hogwarts can't last forever, this has definitely been more of a taste of how it'll be when we leave. Not living in each other's robes all the time, having actual responsibilities," her eyes fluttered to the badge on Rose's chest and she corrected, "some of us will start having actual responsibilities."

Rose shook her head, "I mean, I can't blame her for it, but Jaz definitely helped plant the idea in my mind about Scorpius. She was insistent it was obvious he liked me. I don't know, just the way she said it, it almost convinced me there on the spot. I thought she'd be a little supportive."

"You know she likes to do the right thing. And to me, it doesn't sound like she's taking your new found liking for Malfoy seriously just yet."

"She _drinks_ like the rest of us," said Rose, knowing that was a pathetic argument.

Shannon bit her lip, "she'd good at that. That might be why." She shrugged. "Jasmine's next angle would have inevitably been whether you were sure about it. Knowing what Malfoy is like and whether you might get hurt."

"You don't know that."

"We do. The broom cupboard stuff aside, if you had just plonked yourself down here today and said you were going on a date with Malfoy you know full well that would have been her first question."

"Yeah, I guess so," Rose agreed begrudgingly. Vacantly wondering if her refreshed relationship with Albus and whatever it was with Scorpius was worth arguing with Jasmine over. She knew damn well it wasn't worth throwing away six years of loyal friendship.

"And don't tell me," Shannon pointed her index finger at her, "when you found out about this broom cupboard scheme its been tearing you up ever since."

Rose felt a jolt, all of a sudden. Whirring images of Albus covered in blood and Scorpius inches from her face swam in her vision. It took her a moment to realise Shannon had said something else.

"I'm sorry?"

"I said I had wondered what was up. I guess I just hastened to assume it was NEWTs and Elliot and I didn't really think you wanted anyone prying into that. I knew you weren't exactly convinced of that yourself."

Rose looked at her friend, shocked. How undeniably perceptive she was and yet how far removed those ideas had been from the truth.

"Give me some credit. I'm good at reading people. I just figured you'd come to us when you were ready to talk. You're far chattier than Jasmine is for certain; it's like trying to get pumpkin juice out of a stone with her!" Said Shannon, good naturedly. Rose felt an overwhelming urge to hug her. She leant forward and as if anticipating it Shannon leaned in herself wrapping her arms around Rose's middle. The warmth of her body had a calming effect on Rose, who had barely noticed until then that her heart was still racing.

Rose rubbed at her eyes again, her head now pounding. "I really should go speak to her, apologise. Maybe explain myself a little better."

Shannon just shook her head, "honestly, I'll go find her later. She's probably hauled up in the astronomy tower or in the dormitory. It'll be fine." Shannon glanced over her shoulder, "are you excited?" she asked the corner of her mouth twitching.

"Huh?" Rose said, confused.

Shannon licked her lips, "are you excited about you date?"

Rose sighed, allowing the smile to be coaxed back onto her face.

"Crickey, you do like him, don't you?" Shannon grinned with such reckless abandon, if Rose didn't know this was a normal sight she might have thought the girl had gone mad.

"I hadn't planned on it, you know! I'm only getting used to the idea myself, and now- you honestly don't think I should speak to her?" Rose persisted, knowing she would find it difficult enough to go on a date with Scorpius given how Albus felt without the addition of falling out with Jasmine.

Shannon rolled her eyes, "you worry too much. I'll sort it, Weasley. Now, are we going to finish these essays or are you going to explain to me how this broom cupboard scheme stuff came into being. Even with my own hiding spots I can't believe it's gone under my radar-"

"Two years."

"Blimey."

"Yeah. Hence why it came as a bit of a shock. It made me feel rather… inattentive as Head Girl. Or even thinking back before that, how we'd never got wind of it."

Shannon made a face, "and you felt a little hard done by?"

"Don't you?"

"I guess," Shannon shrugged. "But we've always sort of kept to ourselves, in the grand scheme of things."

"You less so," Rose pointed out.

"Again, I had my own ways and means. Such a service wasn't really a requirement."

Rose had a lingering thought, "how is it you're so… cool about all this?"

"Isn't that part of being a trio? You're the over achiever, Jaz is the chronically jaded and rule abiding and yours truly is the coolest and chilled one of the lot."

Rose chuckled, allowing the feeling of mirth to wash over her, "don't forget modest."

Shannon held a hand to her chest in mock outrage, "aren't I the one trying to make peace here, Rose?"

At Rose's silence, Shannon crooked an eyebrow. "He better treat you right. Him holding a candle for you doesn't automatically excuse him of that."

"I know." Said Rose, deciding to draw her textbook back towards her. Checking her watch, they had another hour before dinner.

Shannon looked disappointed for a moment before thumbing through her own textbook.

Rose knew there wasn't much she could do. Although she thought absently that the universe seemed to have a cruel way of instilling balance. Sure, she had just managed to forge something alight to friendship with Albus and was definitely gaining back his trust, but the cost of Jasmine's friendship was a high price to pay for that. And not one she was convinced was worth it.

They'd been friends since their first Hogwarts feast. Jasmine had offered the bench to Rose as the Weasley-Potter clan had looked on in shock as the second one of their number was sorted into a different house. It had taken Rose all of about twenty seconds to realise as the girl beside her smiled sheepishly and offered her the buttered peas that had just appeared, that as Albus sat on the table next to hers that this might be the start of something new and exciting.

Six years on and she was struggling to accept that it had all worked out for the best.

She trusted Shannon of course, but this argument on top of everything else made Rose feel more nauseous than ever. To top off everything else. How had she avoided such theatrics for so long to be suddenly cast head first into what felt like a thespian's dream come true?

* * *

 **Firstly, I really should have been doing work. Secondly, this chapter was half planned and then someone suggested there should be more conflict. I just wanted to explore the girls relationship a bit more before anything else happened and found a way of doing both. Anyway, I'm sorry there isn't much of Rose/Scorpius in this chapter. The next will have ample, I promise.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer - JKR owns all.**

* * *

The rest of the week seemed to drag painfully on. Although Rose tried to keep herself busy with Head Duties, four-foot essays and extra credit reading, it was proving exceptionally difficult not to be distracted by the fallout of all the changes happening around her.

Each time Rose entered a classroom, Jasmine would purposefully turn away or sit her satchel on the chair beside her. While Shannon had insisted she had spoken to her and attempted to console her, it appeared the other girl was still stung (and rightfully so) at Rose's cruel outburst. Friday evening was the first opportunity Rose had to slide onto the bench opposite Jasmine at dinner time and she did so with uttermost apprehension.

"Hey."

Jasmine continued reading her copy of the _Evening Prophet_ as if no one had addressed her. Rose pulled a plate of sausages towards her by force of habit before realising she barely had an appetite.

"Look, I think Shannon spoke to you, but I want to say it myself that I'm really sorry about what I said-,"

"I know. Indeed, Shannon must have told me half a dozen times by now," said Jasmine in a bored voice.

"Okay," said Rose, tentatively biting her lip not wanting to say the wrong thing and cause a scene.

"If you're trying to make amends and get rid of whatever guilt you're feeling – which according to Shannon is a 'shit-load' - there is no need. It's not up to me what you do, I was only trying to show you what's best. Sorry - what _I_ thought was best." Jasmine said, her head bent towards the paper, avoiding Rose's gaze.

Anyone else might have considered this insult to injury, but Rose knew this was likely the best she would get from Jasmine.

"I'm still sorry. I wanted you to hear it from me. Before –,"

"Before you go on your date?" Jasmine interrupted, "Yes, I can understand that." Rose bit down on her tongue. A statement of such superiority right now didn't seem necessary, but perhaps she deserved that. Rose swallowed when Jasmine finally looked up. Her eyes were unusually soft and red.

"I asked Finnegan if he wanted to go to Hogsmede with me this afternoon. He politely declined stating he was already going with Elizabeth Thomas," Jasmine paused, blinking across at her friend and Rose felt a lump form in her throat. "Wasn't that who Malfoy was seeing?"

"Yeah. It was." Rose breathed out, feeling her own eyes prick with tears. "I'm so sorry, Jaz."

Rose couldn't quite believe how the chips had fallen; how horribly cruel the universe could be.

"Please don't be. There is no need for condolences or anything. I just wasn't quick enough I guess. Anyway, I think Malfoy wants a word with you." Jasmine nodded over Rose's shoulder, and she turned to see the blond scratching the back of his head gazing in her direction. Scorpius cocked his head in the direction of the hall entrance before swiftly leaving the table.

While Rose had fortunately never suffered from such heartache, she understood why her friend was being so dismissive. She couldn't blame her. When she glanced back, Jasmine was packing way her things. "Have a nice weekend, Rose."

The other girl looked like she had no fight left in her, and no energy for much else.

Rose eyed the empty plate in front of her. Her stomach rumbled, yet she felt no desire to eat. She left the table, following Scorpius up the main staircase behind a tapestry.

As she pulled it aside she encountered Scorpius rather close to the entrance, having stepped purposefully behind the tapestry, she now found herself almost nose to nose with him.

"Hi," she said, a little breathless at their closeness.

"Hey," he replied, a small smile teasing at his lips. "I just wanted to check we're still on for tomorrow."

She thought of Jasmine and then of Albus. Both of whom she felt like she was cheating if she still went ahead with this. Scorpius' smile faltered at her silence and she found herself saying "of course" almost instinctively.

While the unfortunate circumstance Jasmine found herself in was realistically, completely out of Rose's control, Albus was another matter entirely. It wasn't her place to say anything; she would just have to speak with Albus and urge him to tell Scorpius the truth himself when she next had the opportunity. Although, Rose could attest she wasn't looking forward to having that conversation with her cousin.

"I was going to suggest I meet you outside the Head's dormitories tomorrow morning," Scorpius studied her face before adding, "err…are you alright?"

Rose took half a step back, making a little more distance between them. The air behind the tapestry was already heavy, and under Scorpius' focussed gaze it seemed twice as so. Rose nodded.

"I'm fine. Just a little tired." She folded her arms across her chest, "should we say 9:45?"

Scorpius raised an eyebrow, apparently unconvinced, "sure thing. If you're having second thoughts, Red, I'd rather you tell me know now."

Rose fought not to look putout, forcing her features to weave together to form a half-smile, "Honestly Scorpius, it's fine. I've got to head to the library and return something," she hoisted her bag higher on her shoulder, "but, I'm looking forward to it. I'll see you tomorrow."

She attempted to flash him a fully formed, reassuring smile before ducking out from behind the hanging carpet. She was halfway up the third-floor staircase before she realised with discomfort she was on the wrong side of the castle to reach the library.

* * *

The following morning, Rose hadn't felt like breakfast either. The burden and weight of guilt almost satiating or more likely, dispelling any hunger she should likely be feeling. She spent much longer in the bathroom than necessary. Rather than scrutinising her appearance this time, she attempted to will her reflection to have the sense to make up its mind.

But, what was the right thing? There were too many variables. Too many issues unresolved. Too many people upset already. Yet, wasn't the whole idea she was supposed to be having more fun? Wasn't she supposed to be letting loose and enjoying spending some time with the wayward blond. Actually, try and get to know him as someone other than Albus' best friend or the summer holiday cake-baking enthusiast? Could everything else just take a backseat for one sodding day?

Rose's reflection frowned at her.

"Maybe just see how it goes?" she shrugged at her reflection. It did the same.

She applied some light make-up hastily before checking her watch and cast herself one last reproachful look before heading out of the dormitory.

For all the logic in the world, Rose could not quite fathom how seeing someone she used to find irritating and obnoxious, could have transformed so rapidly into one of intrigue and attraction. One that apparently on this bright Saturday morning was able to outweigh all the negative thoughts combined. His outfit didn't really help.

Scorpius was leant against the opposite corridor wall, examining his nails, wearing a sapphire Weasley knit, muggle jeans and boots, with his robes thrown over his arm. She was reminded unexpectedly of how he already fit with her family. How Albus had already brought him into the fold. A wave of contented heat surged through her, settling in her stomach.

Scorpius peeked over the top of his glasses, "well it _is_ my lucky day. There was a part of me that was thinking you'd dismissed the idea completely."

Rose coughed, attempting to find her voice, "no." She coughed again trying to clear her throat. "Shall we?"

They fell into step together, Scorpius nudging her gently in the ribs. Where as once she might have bitten his head off for such a childish action, she turned to him kindly and smiled. "What?" she asked.

"You seem happier than yesterday."

She bit her lip. _Try to enjoy yourself, Weasley_.

"I'm trying to forget about everything else. You know, all the drama of the last few weeks. Just try to enjoy today for what it is," she answered honestly, looking ahead. The fact that it was the complete truth settled her previously racing mind a little.

"Enjoy the experience?" Scorpius suggested. She could sense his grin beside her.

"Something like that."

"I have to admit… whoever thought the great Rose Weasley could be distracted by my visage to warrant such behaviour as to head in the _opposite_ direction of the library?"

Rose shot him a wry look before she could stop herself.

"Clearly you had a lot on your mind," Scorpius corrected, lifting his mused hair out of his eyes. "I noticed you weren't talking to your mate this week. Cattermole?"

Rose felt some of the heat in her belly dissipate. Unable to admit their argument had largely been about Scorpius, not wanting to ruin their date in the first five minutes replied, "yeah. We had a row." Rose weighed her options and wondered if Scorpius knew anything about Simon Finnegan.

"It's my fault really. I said something I didn't mean," said Rose.

"I don't believe you'd upset her on purpose."

Rose scoffed lightly, "Please. You know how I've treated you in the past, more often than not unjustly. This was an unjustified remark I said without even thinking."

Scorpius drew his mouth to one side. "Ok maybe, but you guys are alright now?"

"She's speaking to me now, if that counts for anything?" said Rose, resignedly.

"That's something! Now, I sense this topic is not filled with thrills so I'm going to veer us in the direction of where you'd like to go once we hit Hogsmeade."

Grateful of the change of subject, Rose considered him under a sideways glance, finding him already patiently observing her. Averting her gaze, slightly awkward she replied, "I'm not really fussed, a day out of the castle feels like a welcome freedom at this point."

Scorpius unexpectedly clapped his hands together, "I love a bit of improvisation." Rose found Scorpius' good mood almost enthralling, emboldened by his enthusiastic grin she found herself wondering whether he'd make a move on her or not as the day played out.

Unfortunately, fate appeared to have it in for her. Or at least that's what she was starting to believe.

As they rounded the corner on the second floor, taking an unspoken beeline towards the secret passage to the entrance hall, they both stopped at the sound of arguing. Rose felt a jolt as she recognised them. The harsher voice she recognised instantly, belonged to her cousin, and the softer more hurt sounding one belonged to Lorcan Scamander.

Rose looked at Scorpius in warning but he was no longer looking at her and was already rounding the corner.

"Is everything alright?" he asked nonchalantly, having clearly not taken in the seriousness of the scene.

Both Albus and Lorcan turned. Albus, Rose noticed remained flushed with anger, while Lorcan looked in shock at having been interrupted.

Lorcan's bottom lip trembled as he took in Scorpius, and Rose had to fight every urge not to turn back round and let this situation play out. Maybe the truth might actually rear its ugly head.

"Of course, it would be you," Lorcan half laughed.

Rose eyes found Albus' and his frown only deepened.

Albus continued to watch Rose, "just leave it Lorcan. Let's take this elsewhere."

Lorcan threw his hands up in the air, taking a step towards Albus who stood his ground resolute and furious.

"No Al, let's hash this out right here. Now he's-,"

"I said let's _go_ , Lorcan," muttered Albus, through gritted teeth.

"First you're embarrassed of me, then you just can't get -,"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" roared Albus, now visibly shaking with rage.

Rose stood stock still, wishing they'd took the regular staircase. Now regretting not dragging Scorpius away immediately, insisting it sounded private, even intimate and that they should just leave them to it.

Lorcan's eyes were brimming with tears.

"Look mate," Scorpius started, edging towards Albus.

"Just leave it Scorp," said Albus, his voice icy.

Lorcan sniffed, wiping at his eyes with his sleeve, "it's over Al. I can't deal with this bullshit. I don't deserve to be treated like this."

"Let's just go somewhere else. Can we just fucking discuss this, alright?" Albus said, while Rose assumed it was designed to sound pleading, it instead sounded just as cold as when he'd dismissed Scorpius.

Lorcan took a step towards Albus again. Scorpius followed suit a look of uttermost concern etched on his face. Rose instinctively reached out for his wrist, tugging him back to her. He looked around at her confused, unable to understand what he had supposedly done wrong.

"It's done. We're over." Lorcan then turned on his heel and near enough tore down the nearest staircase and out of sight.

It wasn't until he was out of sight that Rose could see Albus' chest heaving. His breath harsh and shallow. His eyes too appeared to be glassy, his cheek draw in, likely bitten harshly to stop him lashing out.

Scorpius pulled his sleeve free from Rose's grasp, tentatively approaching his friend. "Al, I'm so sorry mate." He tried to reach out for Albus shoulder but he'd already stumbled backwards as if scorched by the idea of his touch.

"Not now alright, Scorp."

"We're here for you mate."

"I don't bloody well need either of you!" yelled Albus, his hands forming into fists.

Scorpius, apparently not getting the message, encroached towards Albus again, trying once again to comfort his friend. This time Albus flew at him, Scorpius glasses coming askew from the bridge of his nose as he stumbled back in shock. Albus braced his hands of Scorpius chest and pushed him backwards with all his strength. Scorpius falling back steadying himself against the wall, looked stunned at the physicality with which Albus was using to put distance between them.

"Just fucking LEAVE IT, SCORP!" Albus bellowed, surging past Rose who had enough sense still about her to get out of his way.

Both Rose and Scorpius turned to look at the spot Albus had disappeared.

"What on earth…" Scorpius murmured, seemingly trying to collect himself. His head moved from side to side, his expression perplexed as he looked up to find Rose watching him. "Erm," he shook his head, pushing his glasses up his nose, "what just happened?"

Rose's mind was in overdrive. How on earth was she supposed to answer that?

Lorcan Scamander had clearly been made aware of Albus' previous, or even current feelings towards Scorpius. Just how the boy had looked at Scorpius was enough to tell Rose that. Scorpius being non-the-wiser entirely may not have caught on to that. Still, Rose couldn't quite believe she was being put in this position once again. Holding a truth that wasn't hers to tell, and the one it was about, inadvertently closer to the truth.

"I think he was just upset," Rose said, her voice sounding hollow and distant as Scorpius continued to look at her for some sort of explanation. "Whatever just transpired, I don't think Albus would have wanted us to see that." Rose cringed inwardly at how easily she came up with it, even though there was certainly some truth in it. She was reminded horribly of her illusion of McGonagall's questions during their meeting. When had she become someone who could deceive people in such a way? Had she thrown away every shred of integrity she had left? Rose felt like she didn't deserve her Head's badge at all anymore.

"I was only trying to comfort him," urged Scorpius.

Rose cupped a hand around each elbow, "would you want your friends to see that?"

"I guess not."

"Knowing Al, I imagine he's probably mortified," Rose stated, trying to justify to herself any reason so she could continue with this date.

Scorpius frowned, "yeah." He glanced at his watch, the sounds of students congregating on the floors below swelled. "We should go if we don't want to be late." He beckoned her as he set off down the corridor.

Rose took a moment, closing her eyes and taking a breath. _Sods fucking law._ Any feeling of trepidation she'd muffled was back in full force.

Scorpius' face morphed, resolute over his shoulder as he looked back. "Come on, Red."

Rose followed blindly, guided by the sound of Scorpius' steps more than anything as the crowds milling around in the entrance hall enveloped them.

* * *

Any apprehension Rose had previously held about spending time with Scorpius felt completely dulled after the mornings dramatics. As they had approached the carriages, it hadn't helped that students were turning their heads in their direction, whispering behind their hands about why Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy were going to Hogsmeade together. They of course, were unaware of Albus' tirade and the fall out it would cause both seventh years in the long run.

Forever leaving the idle gossip to Shannon, Rose felt relieved as they settled into a carriage, muffling the not so subtle chatter that had built down around them down the castle path.

The guilt was back, settling like a lead balloon, weighing down all those light feelings Scorpius managed to evoke so effortlessly within her. He too seemed relatively subdued after Albus' outburst. She sat across from Scorpius in the carriage, gazing out of the window trying desperately to think of something to say. Anything to fill the quiet and distract her from the spirally thoughts about disregarding her cousin and neglecting her friend.

Each time she thought of something, she stopped herself, certain she could ask something more interesting and less obvious she was just filling the silence. She was even starting to worry that Scorpius would raise an eyebrow in silent judgement and she would be left to swallow her own tongue. The longer the silence lapsed, the more unsure of herself she felt.

With nothing to distract her, all thoughts of Albus and Jasmine swirled murkily together. The harboured soft spot she shared with her cousin for Scorpius evidently not forgotten. Something that would inevitably have to be addressed again. That sort of secret could not stay buried when sharing such close quarters.

Her anxiety only mounted the longer the carriage rocked a metronome towards its destination and no words were uttered between them.

"Have you ever swum in the lake?" Scorpius asked suddenly, following her gaze as the lake shrunk as they travelled down the path. It cut through her reverie and she glanced at him questioningly.

"No," she said. "Have you?" Although, she already assumed she knew the answer.

Scorpius stuck out his bottom lip nodding, his eyes fixed on the distant black water with interest. "Once."

Rose found herself imagining a younger Scorpius diving into the lake in his school trousers to retrieve a possession one of the Slytherin boys had thrown in there as a joke.

"It was really cold," he said. Rose considered this clarification unnecessary, but was thankful for the breach in the silence. It was well known the lake boasted freezing temperatures most of the year, except the glorious week following exams when it became an oasis to cool off from the hot sun.

He turned to her, the concerned look he wore through his glasses making her fidget.

"You're worried about Albus?" he asked.

"Aren't you?" she countered.

Scorpius' face took on a pained expression, "of course. It's completely unlike him to lash out violently like that. He's normally the more reserved one of the two of us."

"If you want to go back-," Rose began but Scorpius shook his head.

"Two things, Red." He held up two fingers.

"One. Albus is a big boy and he'll need a while to calm himself down. Whatever happened there, it looked like it was an emotional blow." Scorpius took his glasses off, rubbing them clean on his blue sweater. Rose watched the movement, incapable of tearing her eyes away. The motion of his long pale fingers diverting her attention.

He paused, placing his glasses back on his nose. "I'll head straight up and see him when we get back."

He paused again, searching her face with the unabashed furtiveness she was starting to yearn for rather than shy away from.

"And two?" she asked, hesitantly.

He held up two fingers in front if her face, "two. I've waited a fair while for this. On a real-life date with Rose Weasley, sharp as a whip and stunning to boot. My fifteen-year-old self would never forgive me if I didn't fight for this a little. And Albus, well, he'll come around to the idea eventually."

Rose felt her throat constrict as her cheeks blazed red and she fort against the urge to stay quiet.

"Scorpius, what you're saying is flattering, truly." He raised an amused eyebrow as she shuffled in her seat. Considering the right words. "You don't have to say things like that," she swallowed, his eyes mesmerising her so much it loosened her tongue, "the way you look at me kind of says all that sort of thing."

Scorpius cheeks flooded with colour, dropping his gaze, he gave a forced cough.

"Damn, was I being _that_ obvious?"

Rose smirked a little, she felt contented at having caught him out, "it took me a while to … _translate_."

She leant back in her seat, suddenly seeking a more comfortable position than poker straight, "besides, I'm not the kind of girl who needs such flattering words all the time. You hear it constantly in music and films; between other people," she faltered, thinking for a moment of Elliot and his constant fawning, wondering whether to continue her elucidation intended to reduce those comments that she was still too modest to accept. Scorpius looked over his glasses at her, expectantly. She wished she hadn't looked him in the eye, her upper hand slipping, the truths tumbling out uncontrollably. While this time she felt different, more confident and less confined with her own thoughts; the feeling of embarrassment in sharing them still coated her words.

 _Try the honest approach?_

Rose bit her lip. They were meant to be on a date. They'd known each other since their first day at Hogwarts. If she couldn't speak her mind now about herself, when could she?

"I used to obsess over words and spells. I know this could be different to that. It already _feels_ different to that." She blinked, fluttering her eyelashes for a moment.

Scorpius smiled, "of course you'd have to make my job thrice as hard, Weasley. Now I've got to impress upon you, how I feel about you without the use of compliments?" His good-natured response instilled her with confidence to respond with some nerve.

"Where is life without a challenge?" she asked, as they pulled into Hogsmeade, her chest refilled with that familiar warmth.

As the carriage swayed before it's standstill, Scorpius moved across rapidly to sit beside her, leaning in to place a quick kiss on her cheek. The swift and self-assured movement catching her off guard.

"You make a fair and valid point." He gave her a dazzling smile, unhooking the carriage door and pushing it open. "Shall we?"

Rose rolled her eyes, struggling to keep her smile contained. Her cheek burning where his lips had been. Chaste and teasing, she tried not to lift her hand to the spot his lips had touched, afraid it might sear her fingertips. All those problematic thoughts shrinking into the deep recesses of her mind, as they set off into the warm spring sunlight.

Xxx

Zonko's – easily the most habituated shop on Hogsmede visits – was filled to the rafters with their Easter stock. With little deliberation, Scorpius insisted he needed to satiate his sweet tooth. Happy to oblige, Rose had followed him into the saccharine smelling shop reminded of their cake baking the previous summer. Recalling the image of Scorpius, his hair coated in fine white icing sugar, his vacant look of surprise she now remembered fondly.

They wove in and out of the shelves, Rose spotted a young set of twins – one sporting a Gryffindor scarf, the other a Hufflepuff beanie hat – arguing over the last assorted box of hard boiled beetle eyes. A thought occurred to her, a memory she couldn't help but finally voice. Now at ease, the conversation was flowing much more smoothly.

It was something that had garnered genuine curiosity from her in the interim of seeing Scorpius in the summer to seeing him at the beginning of seventh year. Once upon a time she might have avoided it.

"Albus said you read _Hogwarts a History: Revised_ ," he looked at her abruptly as she said this.

"Yes..." he answered, Scorpius faced away from her scratching the back of his head, "did Albus-,"

"Tell me you stole my copy to read?" He didn't turn, "He might have done." He remained stood resolutely with his back to her, bending down to examine the contents of a barrel of blackberry-flavoured fizzing whizbees. She picked up a brown paper bag beside the wooden vessel and handed it to him, tilting her head trying to catch his eye.

He took the bag with a thanks, "I did find the caricatures doodled in the margins." She said sternly. Scorpius stilled, a metal scoop full of humming sweets hovering over the mouth of the bag, "I didn't re-read it till much later than they were composed of course." Scorpius merely nodded. It would seem that being caught out as not just a thief but a vandal as well was enough to stop his usual casual retort. Rose felt amused by his suddenly defensive efforts.

"I actually thoroughly enjoyed them," she said as airily as she could, moving behind a stand of hanging candied vines in a variety of colours. It shielded her face for barely a moment before he followed her.

Pushing his glasses up his nose with his free hand (the bag in his other buzzing gently) he approached her with a serious expression.

"You weren't mad?"

"No," she said shaking her head.

His frown deepened, "I graffitied your favourite factual book with a picture of our fathers, wearing only pants, on broomsticks, fighting in muggle boxing gloves and you aren't mad?" Scorpius asked, seeking verification that he was certainly off the hook.

Rose took a moment to withhold her reply, examining the sweetie vines with interest, trying not to laugh.

"Red?"

She tugged her mouth to one side, biting her tongue inside her mouth from stopping a giggle bubbling out. She raised her eyes to the ceiling averting her gaze.

"They were amusing," she confessed, "plus, I discovered not only a vandalised book but that you have a hidden talent."

A blond eyebrow rose, "huh?"

She fixed him with her best "off-duty" Head Girl look, which sure enough only seemed to coax back his confidence, "you're a great artiste. I'd say they'd employ you for the politics column in the Prophet with that level of skill."

"You're pulling my leg, right?" Asked Scorpius still looking slightly disbelieving as they approached the counter.

"Not at all."

His eyes narrowed as he accepted his change from the clerk and held open the door with his foot.

As they set back foot outside, Rose shielded her eyes from the glare.

"I thought you would be much angrier than that," Scorpius confessed, offering her a whizbee from the vibrating bag.

Rose took one, offering a thanks before setting off towards the book shop. She chanced a glance over her shoulder, "maybe you should buy me a fresh copy?"

Scorpius caught up in a few strides, looking completely bemused, "You did just imply you liked my drawings." He pointed out.

"I said I found them amusing, actually."

"I'm pretty sure amusement is a positive attribute."

"Of a person perhaps, but a drawing? That's subjective," said Rose, pausing to take another sweet he'd offered.

Scorpius narrowed his eyes, "I guess I'll just have to do better next time."

Rose let out a laugh, "what do you mean next time?"

"Oh…," Scorpius' eyes flew heavenward contemplatively, "I'm sure there is some ample good margin space in your Advanced Arithmancy textbook."

"You wouldn't," said Rose, affronted by the mild threat, yet unable to keep the mirth from her eyes.

Scorpius leaned towards her, both coming to a standstill outside the bookshop front. His face was mere inches from hers as he lifted his spectacles to the top of his head as if to get a better look at her. "I wouldn't test me, Red. You might live to regret it." His voice came out raspy and low, allowing a shiver to coax across the small of her back. His eyes flickered, as they'd done many times before down to her parted lips, his mouth quirking to one side.

Rose took a sharp breath, unaware she had been holding it. "How could I persuade you not to?"

She could see the darker shade of his eyelashes, and the dark rings around his iris'. She blinked. He grinned, leaning in another inch, "I'm sure we can come to an agreeme-."

The bell tinkled above the shop door indicating the vacation of a customer.

Rose turned, and instinctively upon what she saw took a step back, away from Scorpius.

Simon Finnegan stood staring straight at her, his arm woven around the shoulders of Elizabeth Thomas, who was glancing between her and Scorpius curiously, a bag full of books under her arm. Rose felt her heart begin jittering anxiously. She'd all but forgotten about the world outside of her and Scorpius for a moment.

Elizabeth gave Simon a long sideways glance, before addressing Scorpius politely, "hi Scorp. How are you doing?"

Scorpius, appearing to be caught off guard, having not anticipated such an interruption, removed his spectacles entirely. "Not too bad, Liz. You?"

She gave Simon another look, "yeah, not too bad."

An awkward silence shrouded them. Simon, appeared to feel the most uncomfortable out of all of them, letting his arm drop from Liz's shoulders to hang gawkily by his side. Non-dissimilar to her previous run-in with Elizabeth Thomas, Rose felt only disappointment upon seeing the two together, on behalf of her friend, who was likely hauled up in Ravenclaw tower. Although Rose found herself wilting somewhat under Elizabeth's knowing gaze.

"Well we better get going eh, Rose?" said Scorpius from beside her, he nudged her in the side.

Elizabeth surveyed him with interest, "now I understand why you were in such a hurry to break things off." At this Simon's eyes widened and he took to staring at the floor in front of him. Scorpius turned faintly pink, his mouth twitching. She looked again to Rose, a sad smile pulling at her lips, "I couldn't compete with that."

Rose swallowed, feeling an unfathomable urge to bolt away from another unpleasant encounter.

"Come on Simon, let's go get a drink." Elizabeth left, pulling a not-too-pleased Simon Finnegan in her wake.

Rose heard Scorpius sigh, deflated.

"We're not having much luck today, are we?" Scorpius cleared his throat.

Rose pondered this for a moment. Realistically, that chance meeting had passed near painlessly. And in truth, she was more concerned about her friend than she was about the fact Scorpius used to date Elizabeth Thomas. It appeared Scorpius had indeed broken things off with her, perhaps without explicitly telling her why, and such a shock could have been blown much more out of proportion than it just had. By comparison it appeared to have been swept under the rug.

"I don't know. It could have gone a lot worse," Scorpius turned to look at her, his gaze full of concern. "That's probably the most luck we'll have today," Rose let out a breath, that may as well have been a laugh.

"Everyone has exes," Rose shrugged, impressing even herself at how calm she felt about the whole thing. Either Scorpius was doing her some good, or she had lost the will to care about such things.

Scorpius it appeared, was searching her face for some slight that could indicate she was in fact furious about the whole thing. The fact he actually cared so much, only imparted in Rose the feeling she made a good decision giving him a chance.

"Come on! Let's not dwell on it." Scorpius looked surprised, but followed her without hesitation into the shop.

They browsed the shelves in contemplative silence for a few minutes. Rose eventually picked up a small leather-bound book in the _Dark Arts_ section entitled; " _The Old Families_ \- _An Heir for the Purest Lineage"_. She flicked through it, having little trouble locating Scorpius' surname.

"Is it too contemptuous of me to ask what it's like being a Malfoy?" Rose asked cautiously, gauging Scorpius' reaction.

He looked up, his eyes focussing on the title of the text, his face impassive. "No. It's just rather ambiguous. Why do you ask?"

Rose drew in her bottom lip, "we already know a lot of superficial things about each other," she shrugged, "more through situation. I was just curious is all."

Scorpius took the book from her outstretched hand, lifting onto his tiptoes and placing it out of sight in the small gap between the top of the bookshelf and the ceiling.

"Ask me all the questions you like, Red. Just don't read that drivel and believe any of it."

"I wasn't, I just-,"

"I know." He turned to her. "Gratefully, or regrettably depending on who you are, as the black sheep in over six generations I probably couldn't answer the questions as accurately as you might like."

Rose held his gaze, steadfast. "I meant more what's your home life really like? You don't have to answer." Rose held up her hand, regretting having asked, "Forget I asked." She finished lamely, moving away from the section and into a more brightly lit area containing a myriad of books on magical sports.

"I'm just thankful I made friends with Albus," Scorpius stated, inspecting the spines on the shelf closest. "I'm also glad my father didn't have much to say about it when I went home for Christmas in first year. I was dreading it," he confessed.

Rose nodded thoughtfully, considering all those times she felt Albus and Scorpius were conspiring against her, when really their friendship was a ticket for Scorpius out of the life his father had been forced into.

In an attempt to lighten the mood, she handed him a picture book she'd spotted on Quidditch players hairstyles of the ages: _Quidditch, Quiffs and Quaffs_. He snorted, his glasses sliding down his nose slightly.

Scorpius sat down in a small armchair, beside a standing lamp and Rose perched on the chairs arm. Scorpius stared at her for a long moment before beginning to flick chronologically through the book.

Scorpius stopped on a full page spread of 18th century Quidditch players, all sporting outrageously long, curly wigs. Some almost long enough to sit on.

"What on earth?" exclaimed Scorpius, scrunching up his face in disgust.

Rose grinned, "that was the style back then. We inherited it from the muggle monarchs in this case."

"It's _hideous_. Not to mention impractical," said Scorpius, twisting the book around to view the image from a different angle.

"I can't imagine the beaters had an easy time, wearing such an atrocity," affirmed Rose, amused by Scorpius' outrage.

"I doubt any of them did!"

Rose pulled her wand from up her sleeve, feeling bold. "I could give you such a do, so you can test it out if you like? For scientific purposes."

Scorpius leapt out of the chair, tossing the book onto it, putting some distance between them. He ran a hand through his scruffy, short hair. "Absolutely not, Weasley. I believe some things are best left to the history books, eh?" Scorpius looked more alarmed as she advanced on him between the shelves.

She gave a playful laugh, "you would look ridiculous!" Rose gave her wand a dramatic flourish. Scorpius retreated further away, holding his hands up in mock defence. Rose gave another laugh as she stowed her wand back up her sleeve.

"That's an intimidating sight you know?" said Scorpius, "you pointing your wand like that." He nodded warily at her, though his mouth quirked up in evident amusement.

"Best not get on my bad side then, had you?" Rose said, waggling a suggestive eyebrow, unsure how Scorpius managed to coax her into such flirtatious territory. Something that up till now, had been mostly one sided. She remained unsure how Scorpius managed to make her feel so at ease and light hearted that she could genuinely joke around with him. Rose was finally beginning to accept that Scorpius was exceptionally pleasurable company, and his somewhat blithe attitude was becoming more and more endearing.

She caught Scorpius' gaze darkened, he took a step backwards, smirking. "If we weren't in a public book shop, I'd make you pay for that comment."

Rose tried in vain to hide the smile on her face as she followed Scorpius into the stationary section. She wavered a moment in front of a deep red quill with a brass nib attachment. The quill was displayed on a velvet stand appearing to emit its own dull glow. She gingerly checked the price tag, dropping it immediately and moving across to the parchment. She sensed Scorpius no longer moving alongside her and glanced over her shoulder. He too was eying the price tag with interest.

"Don't even think about it!" she said, putting her hand on her hip, offering him a challenging expression.

"Oh, don't get your hopes up, Weasley," Scorpius said matter-of-factly, "although I'm very aware this it's your favourite colour," her gut twisted, "and I indeed just considered buying it for you as an alternative to a generous compliment. However, on second thoughts, I think it might look much better in our office. What do you think?" He chortled picking up the quill gently and examining it closely over his spectacles.

She moved back to his side, looking enviously at the sleek strands of the feather itself, on closer inspection it shimmered with a purple hue.

"How did you know red was my favourite colour?" she asked quietly, beginning to scrutinise the brass nib as Scorpius held it out to her.

"Everyone knows you don't actually wear red because it clashes with your hair. Even though you love it," said Scorpius absently.

"Is it why you call me, Red?"

"There are many shades," he muttered, holding the quill up to the light.

She paused, "Everyone else just assumes it to be blue because I'm in Ravenclaw."

Much to her displeasure Scorpius sat down the quill on its stand and turned towards her, his head tilted to one side. A curious expression on his face.

"Jewellery."

"Erm…what about it?" Rose asked, subconsciously lifting her hand to the red and silver stud in her ear.

He blinked, "you often wear red jewellery. Independent of what colour you're wearing otherwise."

Rose's stomach did a low-key somersault at that last comment. Such observations were near unheard of within her family, what with so many cousins to keep track of, those sorts of details often fell by the wayside. And yet here was Scorpius Malfoy. Observing and acknowledging things about her, that most people she knew better, weren't privy to. All without even having to ask. It was like he could see right through her, possessing a genuine interest in the things she liked and who she was. While she too felt an overwhelming urge to find out those details about Scorpius, it was this comment, this insignificant attention to detail he applied to her that made her do what she did then.

The warmth was back again. She took a measured look over her shoulder to check for any other patrons, decisively moving before she could change her mind. She took Scorpius' hand urgently, dragging him deeper into the shop, where it was less well lit.

Amidst Scorpius' questioning, he jostled between the piles of books stacking on the floor, attempting to not trip over them.

Scorpius caught up, putting up very little resistance, chuckling as he drew close to her. She felt his thumb caress the back of her hand gently.

"Red, why're we in the Spanish literature sec-" she spun round and cut him off. Lifting herself onto the balls of her feet, giving herself leverage to bring her face to his. She grasped the soft fabric of his jumper, impatiently.

His reaction was instant and he caught up with great enthusiasm. A hand found her hair and another the side of her face, his thumb fitting perfectly into the dimple on her cheek. His lips moved so confidently against hers, applying the firmest of pressures. His hands moved down her sides, tugging their bodies flush together. The frame of his glasses pressing into the side of her nose, only made her grip him tighter to her.

"Rose-," she heard her name low and breathy between the kisses he began placing along her jawline. She felt dizzy and hot. She pulled his mouth back to hers, hungrily, pressing into him against the bookshelf.

She had never felt such a heat pool in her core. Not once with Elliot.

With great proficiency, Scorpius leaned into her, dipping her backwards slightly, while holding her firmly to him.

Having registered he'd addressed her, Rose broke away, "what is it?" she asked eagerly, catching his eye, his glasses slightly foggy.

"Where did that come from?" Scorpius smirked, stealing a chaste kiss from her swollen lips, seeming incapable of unwrapping his arms from around her waist.

She looked up at him, feeling his heart racing where their chests were melded together, "I just felt like it."

Scorpius smile was arresting. "Circe sake, Red. We've gone from nought to a thousand in about a week."

"I wouldn't say a thousand…" said Rose cheekily. His immediacy doing as it always did, loosening her tongue, softening her thoughts.

"Oh, is that right," he smirked. She bit her lip grinning, feeling her pelvis clench, she shuddered involuntarily. Though she could recall what someone might regard as good times with Elliot, her body had never reacted in such a way to him. There was no denying a physical attraction towards Scorpius now, and Rose found herself wishing she hadn't started something she couldn't finish in a public bookshop.

The logical part of Rose's brain that was still conscious, noted a shuffling behind the shelves running parallel with theirs.

Scorpius moaned, burying his head in the crook of her neck. "Not fair." He said, his voice muffled by Rose's jumper.

She found herself giggling into his hair, a foreign concoction of confidence and allure binding her to the spot they shared. The dazed feeling prevailing, she kept a firm grip on Scorpius' forearms as he looked up at her with an upturned mouth, his glasses crooked. "It's not like it's be the only time," she whispered.

Scorpius' eyes darkened, "I'll hold you to that."

They crept out from the bookshelves, the weight of Scorpius' hand in hers a welcome touch. Scorpius' cheeks were noticeably rosy as they stepped back out into the daylight. He adjusted his collar, allowing the air to circulate beneath his sweater and shirt. He cast her a sideways glance.

"Your hair looks crazy, Red."

She moved her hands up, narrowing her eyes, "that's your fault!" She felt curls stood up at odd angles as she attempted to smooth it into a ponytail.

"You fancy a drink before we head back?" Scorpius asked, walking a foot closer to her than he had been doing before, as they walked back up the high street. Rose resisted the urge to grab his hand, not wanting to give those who loved to gossip anymore ammunition.

She gave him a sideways glance, "I don't see why not. Let's maybe not sit beside Liz and Finnegan though, alright?"

Scorpius looked a little put out, "I wouldn't put us through that again, I can assure you."

As they approached the pub, the door was unexpectedly thrown open and Lysander Scamander flew out into the street, followed closely by Shannon who was pulling on her robes, hurriedly.

"Scamander, I told you – he didn't have anything to do with it!"

"I'll be the judge of that." Lysander spat. Shannon recoiled, catching site of Rose and Scorpius over Lysander's shoulder. Her eyes grew wide in warning.

Scorpius looked at Rose, uneasy as Lysander turned to follow Shannon's cautionary gaze. As if fate was more twisted than Rose could have ever believed, what happened next assured her she had underestimated it entirely.

"You!" Lysander yelled, advancing towards them, "why're you fucking around my brother, Malfoy?"

Shannon followed closely, throwing Rose a probing look as she took in her lightly dishevelled appearance.

"What are you talking about, Scamander? I've got nothing to do with whatever happened this morning."

Lysander laughed derisively, his face contorted.

Shannon ran to catch up, "I told you he didn't do anything." Scorpius, completely bewildered let out a laugh.

"What am I supposed to have done?" Scorpius asked, with an air of condescension, oblivious that what had transpired earlier was largely, in part, due to himself. Indirectly or not, Lysander appeared not to care.

The Scamander twin drew level with Scorpius, drawing himself up to full height. "You know what you've done. Don't play dumb."

"He really doesn't," said Rose, finally finding her voice.

Shannon shot her a questioning look.

"Stay out of this, Weasley."

Rose wracked her brain for any way that this scenario could pan out, without Lysander telling Scorpius Albus' secret. Unless she was about to stun the Scamander twin into silence, she came up empty. She felt dizzy again, her heart racing at an alarming rate as panic set in.

"Whatever your brother has said, it's not the full story," she tried, Lysander ignored her.

"All this time, my brother's been seeing Potter, and he's been cheating on him with you!"

"That's utter bullshit!" Shannon cut in, beginning to roll her eyes, before catching Rose's pained expression and her face fell.

Scorpius seemingly more confused, appeared to be losing his previously decent temperament. "I'm sorry, mate. You've got it wrong. I'm not into guys. I've no idea what kind of shit Lorcan's saying now him and Al have broken up-,"

Lysander drew his wand, pointing it at Scorpius' neck. "You think you can just wade into other people's relationships?" he asked, his voice dangerously low.

"Lysander, you've got it all wrong-,"

"Did you know about this, Weasley?"

"What?" Rose stilled, Lysander's question like a knife to the gut.

Scorpius' arm twitched towards his wand and instinctively Rose took a step between the two boys. Both looked taken-aback as Shannon put a weary hand to her forehead.

Lysander recovered quickly, "did you know Potter was in love with him?" he nodded brusquely towards Scorpius, his eyes blazing.

"I-," Rose began. Her head starting to spin.

Shannon and Scorpius cast her enquiring glances in various degrees of severity. Both appearing to register the guilt clearly displayed on her face. She was unable to hide it any longer. Too tired to hold it back.

The crease in Scorpius' forehead deepened, "what's going on, Red?"

Rose tried to catch her breath, as it became shallower, her lungs felt like they were shrinking to half their normal size. "It wasn't my secret to tell."

It all happened very suddenly after that. All three of them advanced closer to her, asking questions she couldn't hear over the blood rushing in her ears. Spots began popping bright white in her vision, as she couldn't catch her breath. With all her focus on trying to fill her lungs, her legs gave way beneath her; like holding herself up became an after-thought.

And then everything went black.

* * *

 **Author's note -**

Firstly, my apologies for any and all mistakes. I finally got some inspiration/enthusiasm to write and this is the final product. However, because it took me so long to put it together, I've uploaded it impatiently. Secondly, thank you to anyone who is still reading this. Unfortunately my personal life has been off the freaking chain busy and this story, while it started off with all the good intentions, I fear has lapsed into something pretty mediocre. So if you're still hear reading, I salute you. Regrettably, how my brain often works, I've also started honing in to the next "big idea" of a story and can't seem to let that one go. As this is the penultimate chapter is shouldn't be too long for me to get the final part of this story complete. And finally, thank you to everyone who takes the time to review. It's an absolute pleasure to know people are following this story, giving their time and energy to provide feedback.

 _*~*Mischief managed*~*_


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